School: Baile an Bhile (B.) (roll number 12195)

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1. The Black Friar of Mayo Abbey (continued)

   

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   One night they stole it. But Colman was a powerful man and they were afraid of him. They decided to go to America for safety. But one of the women amongst them was afraid to cross the sea and said that she would not go until she first went to confession. She went to one of the secular clergy who told her that he could not give her Absolution for her sins. She then went to the Abbey in Ballinsmal, Claremorris for confession. One of the friars told her to go to the Black Friar of Mayo Abbey. She went to him and when she told him her sins his white face turned black and his black hair turned white. He told her that her penance would be very severe and he asked er whether she would prefer losing her body or her soul and she said her body. The then told her to walk to Lough Mask. He walked after her and kept reading. When they reached the lake he pushed her in and a terrible monster came up and devoured her. At the sight of the monster the priest fell to the ground. He knew that his death had come.
   In his dying moments he cursed the first ship that would go to sea with a mill aboard. He also cursed the ground wherever the woman walked. Colman's relatives set off for America carrying with them the mill. On the voyage the food ran short and the mill was set grinding oatmeal. When it had enough ground the captain said that they wanted salt also. The mill was set grinding salt and would not stop at their

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0565: The Magic Mill

   Language

   English

   Collector

   John Finn

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Cuiltycreaghan, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Thomas Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Keebagh, Co. Mayo