School: Bun Machan

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1. The Pinch of Snuff

   

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   Once upon a time there was a woman used to be seen in a field. There was a public house not far from this field. There were some men in the public house on this certain night. They began talking about the person that was to be seen in the field. One of the men said to another. "We will give you all the money we have if you will go the the field and ask that woman what does she want." The man agreed, so off he went. When he came to the bush he saw the hand going out, and he looked to see what was in the hand. It was a handful of snuff she had. The man took a pinch of the snuff and he prayed for the souls of the dead and he prayed for the soul of that woman who was haunting the field. He was turning away when the ghost called him back to take another pinch. So he did and prayed again. For the third time he went away but came back again when she called, took the pinch of snuff same as before and prayed for the dead. Then the ghost spoke and said, "I have been waiting for the past fifteen years for those three prayers." Then she disappeared and she was never seen again. From that day out the field ceased to be haunted.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Margaret Gambon

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Templeyvrick, Co. Waterford

   Informant

   Daniel Power

   Relation

   Grandparent

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Templeyvrick, Co. Waterford