Volume: CBÉ 0407 (Part 2)
- Date
- 1937
- Collector
- Location
Archival Reference
The Main Manuscript Collection, Volume 0407, Page 0220
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- (continued from previous page)M QUIRKE: You all knew little 'Cricky' Anderson that went to America with my brother, Paddy. He was coming home from Thurles one night, himself and one of the Quirkes after selling a load of pigs. It was a bright moon-light night. When they were coming up from Lysaghts. towards the railway bridge, they saw THE rat, crossing the road. He went across in front of them as quiet as you like dragging his big long tail behind him. He crossed into the grove over the little stile on your right-hand side. As soon as he got into the trees, you never heard such a noise in your life. The two men were sure all the trees were after falling down in a heap. They never heard such a 'racket' in their lives".
MISE: "Did this happen before or after Father McKeown had ridded the Convent of the unwelcome visitor?"
M QUIRKE: "After. You see Father McKeown only put him out of 'the great house'. He didn't confine him anywhere.N.B. One of the characteristics of an evil spirit masquerading as THE rat is the extraordinary noise he makes once he leaves the high-road and finds himself on grass or under trees. G. story told by me in Book 1 about THE rat or, as we call him here in our School of Folklore, 'Mr Rat'. "If you meet the rat tonight and you going home, mind you don't step on his tail".
