School: Ballinkillen, Muine Beag

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1. The Woman who Was Turned into a Hare (continued)

   

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   into hands. He warned her to desist and threatened that if she did not, evil would befall her. She scoffed and defied his power and threatened him with the power of her evil spirits. He thereupon turned her into a hare "to be chased by dogs in fear of her life until she should meet a tragic end". Some years later a man, out shooting some miles from the spot, saw a hare and fired at it blowing off its hind legs. As he approached to pick it up the hare spake and said "you have ended the penance laid on me for my sins" and then died. The man ran away in fear and for two days was unable to speak. Incidentally this story is often told to young people as a reason why they, when they grow up, should never shoot a hare.

   Linked with this story also is another supposed to have happened at that time. A Lord at Ballymoon, now owned by Mr Sheill, Bagenalstown one morning saw a hare sitting on its hind legs and milking a cow into its mouth. As he approached it ran away. Next morning he took

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr Patrick Burke

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow