School: Gowna

Location:
Scrabby, Co. Cavan
Teacher:
Hugh Murray
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0986, Page 040

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0986, Page 040

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  3. XML “A Story”

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  1. Once upon a time there was an old miser. He searched everywhere and could not get a wife. He came to a house where there were four girls. The youngest of all said she would marry him. He did not want to see anyone eating and the wife never used to eat before him, so one day he asked her how she could live without food. She told him if he could fast for three days he "would not want" any food anymore.
    So he started the fast and after the first day he was weak, and the third day he was very bad. When she got him bad she brought the table in front of the bed and put lots of stuff on it. She sat down and had a great feed. He looked out and said "I wish i could eat as much as you". She said "I could eat more if I had it". Then he started "More if I had it" and could not stop saying "more if I had it," "more if I had it". Then the priest and doctor and solicitor came and they asked her why he was saying that and she said she did not know unless he meant to leave me all and "more if he had it."
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT1458: The Girl who Ate so Little
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Máire Ní Brádaigh
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Corfree, Co. Cavan