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   “Why the Robin has a red Breast People say that at first the robin's breast was not red and that this is how it got red.”

   

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   Why the Robin has a red Breast People say that at first the robin's breast was not red and that this is how it got red. Long ago there was only one fire at the North Pole and if this fire went out the people there would perish. A man and a boy were in charge. When is was burning out the put on fresh wood. In the night time each had his own turn in watching the fire and putting on fresh wood. While one of them was minding the fire the other was asleep, and when he awoke he minded the fire and the other went to sleep. There was a bear living close by and it wanted to put out the fire. If it was able to put out the fire then it had the country to itself. One night when it was the boy's turn to watch the fire he got sleepy and fell asleep. When the bear knew that both were asleep it came up and rolled over and over in the fire until he thought it was quenched. A robin came along. It saw one red coal and started to flap its wings

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   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   John M. O' Sullivan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Toornanaunagh, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Maurice O' Sullivan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Toornanaunagh, Co. Kerry