School: Rathowen (2) (roll number 14645)
- Location:
- Rathowen, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Matilda Scott
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0741, Page 100F
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- XML “Stories - Nearer the Bone”
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- Once upon a time a man had a servant boy.
He always brought the bones which were left after the dinner to the boy as his share.
One day the boy said to his master "why do you always give me the bones?"
"Well" said the master, "the nearer the bone, the sweeter the flesh".
The master had a horse and he was very proud of it.
He told the boy to bring the horse out to graze and the boy brought out the horse.
He saw a rock out in the field so he brought the horse over to it and tied his head down firmly to the rock.
His master happened to be showing a friend around the place and noticed the horse's head very low down.
He went over to it and when he saw what was wrong, he asked the boy why he did it.
"Well", said the boy "you told me the nearer the bone the sweeter the flesh", so, "the nearer the rock the sweeter the grass."
- Informant
- John Scott
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Killinagh, Co. Westmeath
