School: Cill Tormóir (Kiltormer) (Buachaillí)

On this page

1. A Funny Story

   

   Share Share Post

   A Funny Story

   There was once an old woman who had two sons. Their names were Jack and Jim. They lived in a big house and had great riches. The old woman liked Jim but she did not like Jack. One day Jack vexed the old woman and in her rage she hunted him out of the house. Jack went down to the bog which was at the end of the farm where he built a small hut.

   One day an old tinker came into the hut. He asked Jack for some food but Jack said there was not a crumb of bread in the house. He also told him that he was hunted out of his home by his mother and that she had not given him any money to buy food. "I will make a rich man of you if you will allow me to stay her with you", said the tinker. "Very well", said Jack. "I will allow you", That night the two of them went to Jim's farm and they stole a fine fat sheep. They brought her home and hung her to the pillar of the gate. They dug a hole in the ground under the sheep. The blood flowed into the hole which they had made. Then they covered the hole so that Jim would not see the blood. They skinned the sheep and put some of it on the pan over the fire to fry. That morning Jim was passing by the hut and smelled the meat frying. He hurried up and told his mother "There is beef and mutton frying below in Jack's hut and I don't know where he is getting it", said he. "Well I'll find out", said the old mother. "There is to be a station

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. verbal arts (~1,483)
         1. jokes (~6,086)

   Folktales index

   AT1536A: The Woman in the Chest

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Laurence Kilkenny

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballyturick, Co. Galway