School: An Cruachán (roll number 5243)

Location:
Croaghan, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Maighréad Ní Chearra
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1085, Page 380

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1085, Page 380

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  1. Gaelic guesses are interesting because in framing them the maker was limited to very simple everyday things. The Celts horizon was a narrow one, and was confined to the daily task, to small happenings in the township, and to little domestic matters.
    Water had to be carried from the well in buckets, wool had to be spun and woven, corn had to be reaped with a hook, corn had to be ground in the mill, food had to be cooked and floors had to be swept.
    From each of these sources there is a Gaelic guess in the construction of which there is much nimbleness of wit.
    Possibly it was while carrying home a couple of wooden pails full of water that this guess was composed:-
    "I will go out between two woods,
    I will come in between two locks".
    The answer is a pair of pails.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. genre
      1. verbal arts (~1,483)
        1. riddles (~7,209)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    M. P. Kerr
    Address
    Rathmelton, Co. Donegal