School: Calfield

Location:
Calf Field or Aghadrumgowna, Co. Cavan
Teacher:
T. Ó Rathsile
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1022, Page 005

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1022, Page 005

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  2. XML Page 005
  3. XML “Bird-Lore”

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  1. The birds which frequent this district are the wren, the goldfinch, the wren robin and the swallow. Some of these birds are migratory but the others are not. Some of these birds also have a story told of itself.
    There is an old man in this district who tells a story of how the robin got her red breast. Once upon a time there was only one fire in the far north where it is always very cold. If the fire went out the people had no means of lighting it again so they set a man and a boy to guard it. Now at this time there lived in the place a white bear who always watched for an opportunity of quenching the fire "for" said he "if there was no fire the people would have to go away and leave me to hunt for fish alone." One day the boy who was watching the fire fell asleep. When the white bear saw this he crept from his hiding-place and over to where the fire was. He then rolled over it until it was quite black and not a glimer could be seen and went pleased with himself.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
        1. bird-lore (~2,478)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Thomas Brady
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Calf Field or Aghadrumgowna, Co. Cavan