School: Cill Tormóir (Kiltormer) (Buachaillí)

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1. A Story

   

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   A Story

   There was once a widow and her son Jack living in a little cabin in the middle of the bog. They were very poor and they always longed for a cow so that he would have some milk, but they could not afford to buy one. One day the son thought of a plan to get a cow. There was a fair in a town a few days later. Jack got up early that morning and went to it. He had an old hat at home and he brought it along with him. When he reached the town he went to the first public-house and made up a plan with the publican. The publican was to give two pints of porter to himself and whoever would be along with him when he would come in again and he would not pay for them at the time, but would do so later. He never stopped until he went to three public-houses and arranged the same plan with the publicans. Then he went into the fair and he saw a cow with a man, that he thought could suit him very well. He went over to the man and asked him how much he wanted for the cow. After a while they made the bargain. When the man handed over the cow and asked for his money Jack told him he had no money but he had as good as money. He had a magic hat. The man asked him to show him how it was used. So Jack brought him

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT1539: Cleverness and Gullibility

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Michael Greaney

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Cill Tormóir, Co. na Gaillimhe