School: Powerscourt
- Location:
- Powerscourt Demesne, Co. Wicklow
- Teacher: P. Steere
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 114
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- In Co. Carlow lived a farmer well to do and with a big dairy.
The time came when he seemed to have bad luck - as although he had a lot of cows [?ing] very little butter came and week by week the amount got less.
He consulted a 'wise' woman.
She told him to go down to his well early on May Morning and he would catch the one who was causing the trouble.
The farmer rose early on May Morning and went to the well where he was surprised to see a woman skimming it.
He spoke to her and stopped her task getting frightened said 'If you let me go you will have the best of luck in your dairy.'
The woman was a neighbout and it was found out that though she had very few cows she had lots of butter to sell which it was the other way about with the farmer.
This skimming of the well was a very old superstition.
- Informant
- A. Smythe
- Address
- Knockbawn, Co. Wicklow
