School: Lúbán Díge (Bodyke)
- Location:
- Bodyke, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Bríd, Bean Uí Chadhla
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0591, Page 397
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- There was a woman one time living in Feakle whose name was Biddy Early and who was supposed to have been a witch. A man lived near her who had an only son whose mother was dead. He married again. He was poor and had only one cow and she got the milk fever and he went to Biddy for a cure. She asked him "What would he leave the fever on?" "I have only one son and I'll leave the fever on him."
"Go home and he will come out when you are eating (there) your breakfast. He will sneeze three times and don't say "God bless him" (The fairies have no power to do harm if you say "God bless him"
When people sneeze nowadays it is often said in June "God bless him for fear the fairies would take him."
He went home but said nothing to his wife about his visit. The boy came out and sneezed twice. When he was sneezing the third time the stepmother said "God bless us" and the child was saved.
During the day, the man's first wife appeared to the stepmother and laid her hand on her breast and said it was a good thing you said "God bless us when my child sneezed." She then disappeared but the mark of her hand remained as long as she lived.(continues on next page)
