School: Kilbonane, Lios an Phúca (Beaufort) (roll number 5482)

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   “Jack o' the Lantern is supposed to be a person who goes abroad at night to put people astray.”

   

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   Lantern to put him astray. Jack o' the Lantern is supposed to have been a blacksmith once upon a time. The people of the place where he lived at often tormented him by coming into his forge, and striking with his sledge, sitting on his chair and stealing money from his purse. One day the devil visited the blacksmith and told him that three wishes would be granted to him, on condition that he should come away with him at the end of seven years. The blacksmith agreed to this, and the wishes that he asked were that anyone who caught his sledge should stick to it until he was told to let it go, that anyone who sat on his chair should stick there until he was told to get up, and that if anyone put his hand in his purse it should stick there until the person was told to take it out. The wishes were granted and at the end of seven years the devil came and asked the (devil cam and) blacksmith if he was ready to go with him. The blacksmith said he would not be ready for a little while and he told the devil to sit down on his chair. The devil did so and when he tried to get up again he found that he was stuck to the chair. The blacksmith then said that he would only set him free on condition that he would go away and would not come for him

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)

   Folktales index

   AT0330A: The Smith and the Devil (Death)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Tomás Ó Murcadha

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballymalis, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   James Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   52

   Address

   Ballymalis, Co. Kerry