School: Dooroc, Drumlish (roll number 13438)
- Location:
- Dooroc, Co. Longford
- Teacher: Francis Kenny
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0760, Page 141
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“Once upon a time there was a boy who's mother died.”
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“Once upon a time there was a king who had horse's ears.”
3
Once upon a time there was a king who had horse's ears. He used to be very much ashamed of them, and he always used to wear a long hood to cover them. Once a year a man was ordered to cut the king's hair. When the work used used to be done the man was put to death. Then the king made sure that the secret of his ugly ears would never be known among the people.
Now it happened that in a certain year the lot fell on a young man who was the only support of his widowed mother. She was so sorry when she heard it that she threw herself done on her knees before the king and begged of him that her son should be spared to her. Moved by her tears the king concented "I will spare your son" he said. "But until the day of his death he must not tell no living thing what he will see when he cuts my hair. When the young man cut the king's hair he saw the horrible ears and after that he had no pease. He longed to tell someone the secret which weighed so heavily on him and he fell sick. Then his mother went to the house of a wise druid and asked what she should do. "Your son's heavy secret is the root and cause of his sickness(continues on next page)