School: Killmallock Convent School

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1. The Cow that Spoke (continued)

   

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   didn't give up! She didn't want to go to Ballingarry to be killed. At one time Tom was nearly up to her (twas just at Patrick's Well) when she turned back to him and says she "If you promise to keep my head and take it to Shanavogho (it doesn't matter about my body) I'll go quietly with you to Ballingarry". Tom was almost done up so "All Right" said he "I promise". Hayes had caught up to him by this but he didn't hear the cow at all. He only saw her turn back.

   She was killed that night and the head was given to Tom the Soldier. He took it home and the next day his wife (knowing nothing about the enchanted cow) put it into the pot to boil for the dinner. There were boys, neighbours, playing cards at the table and Tom was out in the haggard. Well, the woman of the house got a fork and over to the pot to find out if the head was boiled enough to eat. As she was about to stick the fork into it up jumped the head and said "Lán na suile!" don't put the fork in my eye".

   The Boys at the table ran out of the house in a terrible fright, the woman nearly lost her life, and Tom rushed in, took pot and head and all and threw them out into the back yard!

   Next morning he got courage enough to examine it when to his horror, he saw not a cow's head but the head of an old woman wearing a cap with borders in it as the old woman did long ago!

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Kathleen O' Connor