Tape Twenty five.

Mikeen McCarthy

Mid 1975

Contents

Storytelling, naming songs and stories

Go For the Water   (story)

The Mirror   (story)

First Streaker In Kerry  (story)

Tinker In Heaven   (story)

Superstitions

Magpies (with verse)

Shadow on the food

Jackdaws  (scallarows)

Rats

Foxy haired people

Haunted farm  (story)

Landlord and the Tinker       (story)

Biddy Early curing the sick child by fire

Biddy Early and the priest’s horse  (4 whitethorn leaves)

The curse on Petticoat Loose

Petticoat Loose outwitted by a farmer (not crossing water)

Petticoat Loose buried in the lake.

Man in black (story of a dream in a bus) told in first person

Murder-riddle story

J C   Can you tell us for a start where you heard the stories, who had the stories?

M Mc  Oh, my mother had this one down from her mother, I suppose, before her, like, those old stories,   some of them like, more of them came from my father, more of them came from other old men like.

J C       Do you know many storytellers among the Travellers?

M Mc  Oh yeah, I know a lot of them, well, back at home like, Kerry’s a great story country where I come from, all stories, all old timers like.    Well the television and the wirelesses and all that cut 'em all out, you know, 'cause the young people had no time for 1em, they heard them all before like.

J C    This is happening with the songs as well '?

M Mc   Yeah, but still people like to listen to them all over again, some of them like, not 'em all.    But they find it too long and boring and then the old people try to cut 'em short and here you are.

D T    Do you have different kinds of stories Michael?

M Mc   Well yeah, all different old stories, but as I say now like, , Denis, it's like the songs, you'd have to think back, this is one I should have told them now, I'd be thinking now tonight, I should have told 'em this one, I should, yeah.

J C    We've got all the time in the world Mikey.

D T    Do you make a distinction between the very long stories and little short ones, I mean do you have a special, any special kind of name?

M Mc   Er, there was never much name for them now like, only, there was no name, they used have their own names for them, like, we'll say, for the Landlord now and the Tinker like, we1ll say, give us that one, they'd tell you, give us about Jack and Mary, d'you know1 that'd be the one about the water now,, something like that y'know, there were always stories, we'd kind of our own names on 'em, like the songs. We never had, really, names for our songs either, only we picking a name off of a verse, you see, something like that.

DT       You'd pick a name out of a verse

M Mc  Yeah, such as the first start of a verse, like, know, we were never interested in the names of them.

DT        Can you give us the one about Jack and Mary then?

M Mc   Yes Denis, whenever you're ready.

D T       I’m ready now.

M Mc    Are you ready now? Oh yeah.

M Mc   Well, years ago back in Kerry there was a brother and sister, Jack and Mary.    So they lived in a very remote place anyway, 'twas about a mile and a half, near enough two miles for to go for the water.    So they always took it in their turns.   

So one day anyway, Mary said to Jack, “‘'tis your turn now to go for the water Jack”.   

“Oh begorrah; I’m not going for no water Mary”, he said, “except we sing the verse and whoever”, he said, “lose will have to go for the water, whoever stop first”.   

So one of them sits at both sides of the fire anyway, in the hob and off they started. Jack started first;

                                                           sung verse

Then Mary started the other side;

                                                            sung verse

So they carry on like that like, and whoever stop first'd have to go for the water.    

So there was an old man anyway, and he came on from Tralee and he'd a horse and a sidecar, and 'twas his last house anyway, to ask for the road to Ballyferriter.   

So bejay, he said, “I'll go in here”; each way the nearest house'd be four or five miles like.   And in he goes and when he went inside the door he heard Jack;

                                                          sung verse

Says he, “which is the nearest road here to Ballyferriter”, and he looked over at Mary and Mary said;

                                                           sung verse

So he'd go to ask Jack and Jack'd come out with the same verse1 then he'd go over to Mary and Mary had the same verse.    So bejay, he started catching Mary and shaking her around the place, you know, and all he could hear out of her was;

        sung verse

But he kept shaking her and shaking her and shaking her and shaking her and in the wind up, “Oh save me Jack”, says she.   

Oh, I will Mary, he said9 but you'll have to go for the water now.

D T    Now who did you learn that story off Mikey?

M Mc   Oh, that came from my mother.

D T    It came from your mother?

M Mc   Yeah.

J C    When you're ready.

M Mc   Right.

M Mc.    There was a man back in Kerry, and a woman, so they got married when they were about forty years of age.    So they were never in town in their life, see.    So the two of them goes into town one day anyway and bejakers, the things they saw that day in the town they never saw in their life, like, d'you know.   

So bejay, Jack was looking in at a counter like, and he saw a load of mirrors in the counter, like, they were tuppence each.    So he picks up the mirror and he looks into it.   

“Well bejay”, he says, “look where my father's photo is”, says he, he couldn't believe it.   

So he buys the mirror and he puts it in his pocket anyway  unknownst to Mag.   

So every night he'd go home anyway, he'd be sitting at the fire when he'd be finished the work and he'd start taking up the mirror and looking into it, see.    Bejakers, Mag used to cop him anyway, and every time he came back from work he'd keep looking at the mirror.   

And bejay, said Mag, said she, “I'll see what he have in his pocket”, he used put it in his pocket.    But this day he left the coat hanging up behind the door anyway, and when Jack went back to work she gets the coat and finds the mirror inside in it and she looks into the mirror.  

“Aha”, she said, “I knew there was something in his mind, look at the old damsel he's going round with and I didn't know nothing about it”, you see, “and the old grey haired one”, and the

so-and- so, she was calling him.    So, bejay, she said, I'm going to see the parish priest about this,   

So off she goes over to Beaufort village anyway, and she tells the parish priest. So on came the parish priest over anyway, he comes in, Jack was sitting on the side anyway and he'd the mirror in his pocket.   

“There he is now father”, she says, “and tell him”.   

“What's this I hear Jack”, says he, “about another woman being in your life”.   

“Yerra father”, says he, “I don't know what you're talking about”.   

“Oh there is”, says he, “have you the evidence Mag”?   

“‘Tis there inside in his pocket”, says Mag, says she.   

So the priest puts his hand into Jack's pocket and brings out the mirror anyway.

“Yerra father”, says he, “what's wrong with you, isn't that my father's photo”, says he.   

“Yerra, not at all father”, says she, “look into there and you'll find it”, she said.

And the priest looks into it anyway, and he says, “Yerra, what's wrong with the two of you”, says he, “isn't that the parish priest that was here before me.

D T        What was that you were saying in the pub about the American?

M Mc    Oh yeah.

M Mc   Oh, that was about the first streaker that was ever seen in Kerry.    So she comes over from America, and bejay, she'd her bikinis on anyway, and she was Travelling back through the bogs of Kerry anyway.  

So there was this old feller and he was piking manure into a donkey and car. Jakers, when he saw her he got excited, he never saw nothing like that in his life.   

So bejay, he ran towards her and he said, if you don't meet my demands, says he, I'm going to throw you in there into the bog hole, he told her.   

So bejay, whatever she'd on her before he met her, she's nothing at all on her agin she left him anyway, and she ran back along through the bogs anyway until she came to a little thatched house.   

Ah bejay, she knocked at the door and out came the old man.  When the old man saw her he didn't know what to do and he took off his top coat and he handed it to her.   

“Oh, cover yourself quick”, he said, “what happened you”?   

“Well”, she said, “back along the bogs there”, she said, “I seen a bloke”, she said, “and he piking some grass onto a horse and cart”, she said, “and he told me if I didn't give him what he wants”, she said, “he was going to throw me into the sea”.   

Oh Jay”, he said, “and I know that fellow very well”, says he, “and did you give it him girl”

“Well, I had to, hadn't I”, she said.

“Well I know that feller very well girl”, says he, “and weren't you damn lucky you had it to give him, whatever it was”.

J C       Will you tell us the one about the tinker in Heaven?

M Mc   Oh yeah.

M Mc    Well, Tom Bryan was and awful hard man for cracks and yarns, you know.    Everybody knew him around the area.  So bejay, he'd two horses one day and they were loose.  He always kept a horse for pulling his caravan and another one for pulling his cart.   

So he pulled into a village anyway, Beaufort to give you the name of it, outside Killarney, near Kate Carney's cottage.     So on came a guard and be cycling a bike anyway.   

“Tell me Tom”, he said, “are they your two horses down the road”?  

“Oh, not at all sir”, he said, “they're not my horses at all, but I'm sure they belong to one of the farmers there up the road”, says he.         

“All right Tom”, he said.          

So he jumps on his bike anyway, and away to go and he tried every farmer for miles around and no one ownded the horses.   So some farmer told him 'twas Tom Bryan owned them.           So he comes back down to Tom and Tom had the two horses tied up.   

“Well Tom”, he said, “you're a great liar”.   

“How is that sir”, said he.

“You told me you didn't own them horses”, he said, “a little while ago”.   

“Well at the time you were here sir”, he said, “I didn't know I ownded them, but 'tis when you were gone “, he said, I found out that I did own them”, he said, “but I have them tied up now anyway”.  

“Well Tom”, he said, “you're a great divil”, he said; “tell me Tom, did a tinker ever go to Heaven”?   

“Oh, they did”,  he said,  “one went to Heaven”, he said  “and when he went in”, he said, “he took out his old budget”, he said,  “and he started jobbing, and he went into the first public house”, he said, and he got drunk and he started fighting with all the angels above in Heaven”, said he,  and they searched all Heaven”, he said,  “for a policeman to put him out and they couldn't find one”.

M Mc    Suspicious like, they had their suspicions about magpies you know, that's what they always used to always say;

One for bad luck, two for good luck,

Three for a wedding, four for a wake,

Five for silver, six for gold,

Seven for a story that was never told.

DT    Are there any others like that, any other rhymes of that kind about beliefs that you can think of?

M Mc   Not off hand Denis, no.

D T      Did you ever hear….. Pop’s Johnny was telling us; about this belief of somebody’s shadow falling on food and if my shadow fell on your food, that would mean I begrudged it you.

M Mc    That was their belief.  If you were walking over a Summer's day and we having our eatables, you know,  and you could be just passing by and your shadow come on the food they didn't enjoy their food anymore, they'd eat it but they didn't enjoy it, you know.    

If anything happened along the way then, the wheel of a car fell out or a horse lose a shoe, they'd blame that for it, you know, they'd blame the spell'd be off of them, superstitions I think,

D T     If that happened though, was there any way of stopping the harm from happening?

M Mc    Well, er, catch a bit of bread or something like that and throw it over their shoulders, you know, over their heads that was supposed to be gone.   

Well, if they saw two jackdaws then, what we call them is scalcrows, if you saw one of them together you'd meet an old Traveller, often happened.     If you meet two then you'd meet a husband and wife, which often happened, and you meet a batch of them you'd say you were going to meet a big family, which often happened0    That was the truth like. You'd meet some more Travellers on the road like, the scalcrows now, that we used call the jackdaws.

J C      What was bad luck?

M Mc  One magpie was bad luck.

J C      Was there anything else, any other bird that was bad luck?

M  Mc     A rat, some people didn't believe in seeing a rat, they didn't like 'em, and there'd be bad luck on the road, you know.    That was their way like, I don't know.

J C         How strong are these now, these beliefs now?

M Mc    They're still there.

J C         They're still there?

M Mc    They're still there; they're still there with 'em. I know fellers now today, if they’re in a car, if they're driving along in a car, they'd pull up their car, they wouldn't kill a rat.    They don't just like to see 'em, you know.    Some of them, whether you believe me or not, would turn back, d'you know, would turn off of the road.

Foxy people, although I'm married to a red haired woman, I never had any hard luck.

D T       Red haired people?

N Mc    Yeah, well not alone the Travelling people in Ireland. If a fisherman saw a red haired woman he wouldn't go out fishing.    No, back in Ireland, now, and that's back in Kerry now.    Summertime they go out fishing there at five o-clock in the evening and there was.... where I lived now one time, Cahersiveen Town there was two red haired people lived there, the Ryan’s was there name, and they wouldn't come outside the door till all the fishermen were gone out. If they saw one of them they wouldn't go out, they'd turn back.    'Tisn't.....they liked them very well, I mean, you know, that was just their belief.

J C        How do you go on with the Donovans, they're all red haired people.

M Mc   (laughter)

-          

J  C    A man told us when we were in Ireland this year that he was recording an old man and he had an American with him, and this American says, “tell me”, he says, “do you still believe in fairies”;  and the man says,  “ah no”, he says1 “I don't, but they're there all right”.

M Mc   They're there, they say they cannot be seen or felt, they can be heard.

D T    Do you know any stories about fairies?

M Mc   Er, there was a house back in Skibereen, we used have horses there, 'twas a convicted farm.    It really happened like, it was no story, it really happened.

So there was eleven owners for it in thirteen years, nobody over lived there.   'Twas a.... so we used have what we called a boycotted farm at home now is....

Well, when we were travelling in together we'd leave horses there like, all the time, you know, we'd travel maybe a hundred miles away, but we'd know a horse would be safe there because there was nobody to hinder them like, or anything.  

So bejay, it had all went fine anyway, so there was a man left Skibereen we'll say thirty or forty years ago and went away to America and he earned his fortune in America anyway.   

So he wrote back to the brother anyway, he told his brother, if there's a farm at home, to buy it.    So the brother wrote back to him and he said, “there's a farm here”, said he, “but 'tis a haunted farm”, he said, “and there's after being eleven owners for it”, says he, “with thirteen years, but”, he said,  “‘tis for half nothing.    But there isn1t a fence”, he said, “or there isn't a hedge”, he said, “or nothing in it”, he said, “and every tinkers horse in the country is inside in it”, which was true for the man.   

He said, “buy it”, he said, “and pay for it for me”, he said, “and I’ll be back as soon as you give me the word”.   

So he buys the farm and sends him on the money, pays for the farm.   

So the brother comes back and the family anyway, and three kids and he doe's up all the farm, every bit of it from head to toe, fenced it all out.    We had to go take out all our horses, by train and everything, take 'em to Cork City, out of it.    And he does up all the farm, every bit of it, the house and all, up to perfection.    But they lived in it no night like.

So the night came for an opening night and he invited all the neighbours around to come in to a party. And what he wanted the party was for, when he was going away to America, we'll say, a child of two years that time, or four years, he'll be a grown up man when he come back, he wanted to get to know them all over again, d'you know, Jackson of next door and Thomson and all that.

So bejay, he had the party, so he was introduced to everybody round anyway.   

Well, he said, “I'll be leaving you now”, he said, about ten to twelve or five to twelve, “I'll be leaving you for a while”.   

And they asked him where was he going.

Well, I'm going up, he said, to investigate this haunted house, he said, there's a girl supposed to be heard screaming up in the top room and I'm going up to investigate it.  He was a feller who didn't fear ghosts like.  

So fair enough, they advise him not to go up, but he went up and they were all watching the time to leave the house. before it come twelve o'clock.   So bejay, they decided anyway, until he came back down.   

So he was going up the stairs anyway, and he met a feller coming down agin' him, a feller by name of Jim Connor, and when he saw him, he spoke to him like me or you.    And he went to offer Jim a cigarette anyway, but Jim wouldn't have it.   

“And where are you off to”, said Jim.   

Well he told Jim the same story, “I'm going up to see what this girl be crying about up in this room”, he said, “want to find out what it was”.  

“Oh”, he said, “I can tell you all about that”, he says.    D'you see, I was a labourer here at the time you went away to America, and I was going with the girl”, he said, “Mary was her name. And”, he said, “when her father found out”, he said, “I was going with her”, he said, “he locked her above in that room”, says he, “and she died broken hearted”.   

“So, well I'll go up anyway, and find out”, he said.  

 So he carried on up and he waited above in the room and he come back down after quarter past twelve and they asked him did he see anything.   

“Yerra no, the only thing I met”, he said, “up the stairs was Jim Connors”.

“What Jim Connors”?

So he told them which Jim Connors, and a glass fell out of a feller1s hand at the table.  

“He's dead”, they said, “for the last twenty two years.

M Mc   Ah, that really happened now then.

J C     How long ago was this?

N Mc    Well, it must be twenty years ago since it started, aye, even more, well I had horses in the place twenty years ago, it could be ten years before that, maybe, for all I know, fifteen years before it, could be.    But it was only about ten years ago when the story was thrashed out, about ten years ago.

D T     He never heard anything upstairs?

M Mc     No, never heard nothing, sure he met the man who told him the whole story coming down agin' him, see.    He died of a broken heart too, after the girl, yeah.

M Mc    Well, there was a poor old tinker and his wife and they were stopped at the side of a road of a winter's day, jay, it was very bad.   So they had an old tent1 and a very bad tent.   

So bejay, there was a big landlord anyway, passing by with his coach and his four horses and his sherofe and all for driving him around.    So he looked out and 'twas pelting rain and he sees the two of them agin' the ditch anyway.   

Oh, he told the sherofe, “pull up anyway”, he said.   

He said, “what are you doing”, he said, “on a day in the rain”.   

“Well I've nothing better sir”, he said, “this is my house”,   he said, “it's my kingdom”.   

“Well”, he said, “would you be able to afford”, he said, “two shillings a week”, he said, “for a cottage and pay me by the year”.

“I'd do anything now”, he said, “with this weather we’re getting sir, he said, “but I'd be more than grateful to you”, he said, “if I could get one”.  

So he brought him over and showed him the cottage and gives him the keys of it.   

“Well”, he said, “you don't pay me at all by the week now”, he said, “you pay me by the year”.    “Anyway at all sir”, he said.   

So bejay, Jack and the wife goes into the house and jay, they were fine and happy for the whole year now, big fire and they were delighted.  They didn't even want to know the lord mayor,.... the mayor...  your man anyway.   So they spared away anyway, bejay they could never spare up the five pound odd, whatever it was for the year.   

“Jay”, he said, “we'll have to think up something good”, he said to the wife Mary.

“Oh, I don't know what to do”, says he.    So he goes away anyway and he gets an old mule and he feeds the old mule to the best like, you know.    So he gets a whole lot of threepenny bits and he mixes in through the oats.  

“And now”, he said, “when the landlord come”, he said, “call me”, he said, “in from the house”.   “Oh, I will”, she said.   

So bejakers, on came the lord; he said, “have you my rent”.   

“Oh, Jack have it now in his pocket”, said she.  

So Jack comes out anyway. 

“I’ll get it now in a minute for you sir”, he said.

So he takes off his coat and he gives the old mule a few pucks of his stick and bejay, a whole lot of threepenny bits.... you know where they came from anyway.  

And when the landlord saw this he said, “I'll have to have that mule”, he said, “at any money Jack.    If you don't give me the mule”, he said, “I'm going to turn you out on to the road”.

“Oh, I couldn't do that”, he said, “he's the only thing that's keeping me going”, he says, “since I came to this house”.   

“Well, if you don't give it to me”, he said, “pack your belongings and get out of this house”, he said.

“Well in that rate”, he said, “you can have him sir”, he said, “for I wouldn't give him to another”.  

So bejakers, the landlord anyway, brought home the mule of course and he fed him to the best again and he got the servant boy at him with the stick anyway, the following morning and he kept beating him and beating him with the stick anyway, till he was dead, and nothing happened.    So bejay, he goes back to Jack anyway.  

“Jack says it must be the new owner was the fault of it.   

So bejakers, another year passes by.   

“So now we have to think up a one again”.

And now he said to Mary.... he goes out and he catches two little bunny rabbits , d'you see.    “Hold that one there”, said he, “in the box”, he said, “and I'll take the other one with me, and”

he said, “when he come”, he said, “leave the rabbit out of the box”, he said, “and tell him, go down and fetch Jack”.

“All right”, she said, “I know what to do all right”.        

So on came the landlord.        

“Now”, he said, “no excuses this time, I want my money”.                     

“Yerra”, she said, “we have your money waiting for you and plenty of it”.

So, “and where is it”, says he.                                     

“Oh, Jack'll be below in the bog”, says she.                  

So out she takes the little rabbit out of the box.  

“Go on down now”, she said, “and bring up Jack, tell Jack I want him up”.   

So the little rabbit was out the, door and away to go about his business anyway.  Sure Jack was watching them in a ditch below and he have the other rabbit inside in his pocket,    So up he comes with the other rabbit anyway, and puts him into the box.

“Go in there now boy”, he said, shutting the door on him.  And the landlord was watching the rabbit.

“I never see the like of this in my life”, says he; “a rabbit”.    

“Ah, I train him that way, I sells 'em, I train 'em and sells 'em.  How much do I owe you anyway, for the rent”, he said to the landlord.   

“You're not paying me no rent”, he said, “if you don't give me that rabbit”, he said, “pack your things and get out of here”, he said, “straight away”.   

“Oh, I can't let you have him, I have him promised”.   

“Well”, he said, “if you don't, pack your things and get out, on to the road”.

“Well, in that case”, he said, “you can have him”.  

So he brings back the rabbit anyway.

He says to the wife anyway, “you needn't ring any more bells now”, he said, “for dinner. Any time you want me up for my dinner now”, he said, “just tell him go on and get the landlord”.    So bejay, your man was down anyway, away down in the fields and dinner hour came and the wife left the rabbit out, of course, and away goes the rabbit.   Jay, the poor old landlord came up about three o'clock, and he starving with the hunger anyway, and no rabbit, you see    

So he goes back to Jack and he said to Jack, told Jack about the rabbit,   

“Ah, you didn't say the right words to him”, says he.   

“What's that you're talking about”?   

 “Ah”, he said, “I forgot to tell you the words, 'tis my fault”, he said, “but however”, he said,     “‘tis your mistake”.   

“Well we'll forget it”, he said, “but we'll have no more wisecracks come up to me like that”, says the landlord.  

So bejay, next year came and Jack had to have another one, another excuse, he'd no money again.   So he goes away anyway, and he gets a cow's bladder and he fills it with blood, and he puts it inside the wife's dress, like that, you know, in her blouse.  

“Now”, he said, “when I come up now”, says Jack, he said, “be arguing with me over the rent”, says he, “and I'll be arguing with you”, he said, and you know what to do.   

So they'd everything fixed up anyway, on came the landlord.   

“Oh, come on in sir”; in he comes.   

“I want my money now”, says he, straight away.   

“Fair enough”, he said, “she have it here”.  

“Yerra, you have it”, says Mary.   

“You have it”.

And on goes the argument between the two of them anyway and up he pulls a knife and gives her a prod of it end the blood bursts out, of course and down goes Mary.   

“Oh, you've the woman murdered”, he said.   

“Yerra no, that's twenty times I'm after killing her now”, he said, taking down a hazel stick off the top of a dresser anyway, and he..... whatever he said over her anyway, up jumps Mary, d'you see.

Oh jay, the landlord is looking at this, he got excited altogether.   

“Oh jay”, he said, “how did you do it”?  

“Arragh”, he said, “this kills all right”, he said, “but this cures”, he said, “its magic”, he said, “through the Travellers”, he said.

But, he said, “if you give me this now”, Jack, he said.

“I didn't say I'd give it to you at all”, said Jack, he said, “I wouldn’t give you that for no money at all”, he said.  

But he said, “you have to give it to me”.

“I can't, I'll pack up and get out of it”, says he, “before I give you that”.   

“But if I sign the house over to you for good Jack”, he said, “will you give it to me”?

“Well that depends”, says he.   

“Well I'll sign it over to for good Jack”, he says.  

So out he gets and he fills in a form that he'll sign the house over for good to Jack anyway.    “Right”, he said, “give me the words”.

“Nickerbocker, boo gonzali, whitewash brush”, says Jack, “you have to say that”.  

So he learned that to the landlord, you see.   

“That's flying”, shook hands and all with the deal, and Jack shut the gate and he going out.   “Good luck”, he said.   

And away he goes home.   

So he’s mad picking a row with the wife, at home you see, everything she was doing, she was doing wrong and all the maids was inside in the kitchen.   Everything the wife was doing anyway, she was doing it bad, 'twas wrong, everything.  

Arragh, jay, he was mad picking a fight with the wife anyway.   Whatever short work the wife have him and he up with the knife and sshtt,  right through her heart, sticks her.   And all them maids started roaring.   

“Shut up out of that”, he said, “that's nothing, and I’ll have her back to life in two seconds, is it.

Pulling up the stick, “nickerbocker boo gonzali, whitewash brush”.   

If you were there yet she wouldn't wake up anyway.

So that's when Jack was standing by the gate anyway, and the landlord only going off and he handcuffed by the police for murder for the wife.

M Mc   There was a child inside in the cot anyway like, at the fire, the child used never stop crying, always crying, you know, and it never thriving, always shrinking like.   The child was eating more than four or six people in the house.   It had them almost broke, you know, eat and eat and eat, and drink and drink and never stop crying. They usedn't get a sleep or nothing at all out of this child.   

So bejakers, they sent for Biddy Early anyway, and Biddy Early came on and she looked at the child in the cot.  

So she said,  “everybody leave the house now”, because she knew if the mother was watching her, what she was going to do to the child that she couldn't stand it like.  

So they were almost as afraid of Biddy Early as they were of any fairies, you know.  

Out she go, she order them out of the house.

She said, “if you want your child cured get out of the house”, she said.  

So she put them all out and she shut the windows and she put on a big fire and she caught the child end she held the child to the fire.  And such heat that was getting at her own hands now, d'you know, that she couldn't hardly stick the heat.  And she kept at it, and she kept the child there    The child started roaring and screaming and roaring and screaming.  

And the next thing anyway, this gust of smoke come out from the fire like, and went up the chimney, you know.   And the fairy came in behind her and the child fell off weightless then like.    “Ah”, said the fairy, “and 'twas well you showed up in time because I'd have broke this place, and broke this farm”, he said.   

And she shouted outside for somebody, open the door and the fairy went out the door and the child never stopped thriving after that.

M Mc   Hm, that was one of Biddy Early's ones, well, 'twas better than that now but I don't know if I tell it right.

-                                             

D T       What was the other one, you were talking about another Biddy Early story, weren't you;  Petticoat Loose, was it?

M Mc   I've a Petticoat Loose one too, but er....

There was a priest came from Waterford up to Biddy Early.   

Every priest in the county tried her, to cure her like.   She was supposed to be a witch.   So when she take out this blue bottle like, 'twas a blue bottle, and when she take this out, 'twas a kind of witchcraft in.

So this priest come from Waterford anyway, and he came and started asking Biddy Early questions anyway,  about her... why the neighbours around didn't trust her, and all this thing going on.  

So she said, “if you mind your own business”, she said, and go back where you come from, you’ll find out you won't like me either”, she said to the priest.  

So he had a horse like, he was up on top of the horse's back.

He said, “I'll be back again”.  

“You won't he back again”, she said to him, “because agin you reach that crossroads outside there”, she said, “you'll regret the day”, she said, “you came to Biddy Early's house”.  

He went as far as the crossroads anyway, and she mentioned before, the horses four legs stood out straight and not; a move out of him and he was there for two hours and he couldn't even move off of the horse himself.   And she called the young feller that was there standing on the green.  

She said, “he'll be there all night if we don't do something”, she said.  

And she picked three bits of ivy off of the tree and she give them to the young feller, she said, go and hand them to the priest now.    And he went out and hand them to the priest anyway, and when he hand them to the priest anyway, the horse started walking on the road again.   So he skeltered away for himself to Waterford anyway and never came back, with the fright Biddy Early gave him.

J C        Where did Biddy Early live?

M Mc    In Clare.

J C     Do you know where?

M Mc    I don't know the name of the place, no Jim.

J C         There are lots of stories about her?

M  Mc    Oh, the world of stories, they're going back now, tracing them back now.    In fact there was a lake alongside her now and they're after.... divers went down and got all the bottles like, but they have three bottles now, but they don't know which one it is.    They claim 'twas a dark blue bottle and they have three dark blue bottles now but they don't know which one it is again, no.

D T     How long ago is this Mikey?

M Mc    Oh, it must be a hundred and fifty years ago.

D T     So all these stories are passed down.

M MC    They're passed down, all.....

D T      I mean you got these stories from your parents.

M Mc     Well yeah, you'd hear the stories now about Petticoat Loose, Biddy Early.

M Mc     Petticoat Loose was a woman that hit her own children... hit her own mother like, So bejay, the mother was a widow woman and she cursed her that she said that your hand may grow seven ton.  

So there was a man coming to work anyway, the following morning with a horse, he'd a grey horse and he stood up talking to Petticoat Loose and the mother, they were a mother and daughter, and she put her hand on top of the horses back and she broke the horses back with the weight of her hand, she didn't know like.   

So after that then that was Petticoat Loose’s curse.   

So there was an old Travelling man anyway, one day, Donoghue was his name.   So everybody feared her now like, and there was a river below, like that, and a bridge.  So he was coming with some donkeys one day going to a fair anyway, he was trying to cross to Mitchellstown, a place called Mitchellstown, it was a great short cut past Petticoat Loose's house.

So bejay, he said, “I'll take my chance”.   

So she used never cross the bridge like.   So he pulled up anyway.   Whatever her name, I forget her name now, for he start talking to her anyway, and didn't he leave the donkeys on over the bridge anyway, d'you know.    So he knew what she was going to say like, asking, inviting him into the house, like, to have a cup of tea or something.   

So he took the word out of her mouth, “is there any chance at all make the tea for me”.   

Oh, come on in of course, Jack, why not Jack; Jack Donoghue was his name.   

“Oh bejay, that's a pleasure, will you wait 'till I cross after the donkeys”.  

“Oh grand”, she said, “I'll have the kettle down”.   

And he went across the bridge anyway and she wouldn't cross the bridge.   He shook his hand at her and went on.  So that's how he got away.

J C        Why wouldn't she cross the bridge?

M Mc   Well, they claim that fairies or witches wouldn't cross water, like1 that's what they say.

M Mc    But a priest then put her down to the bottom of the lake in chains and he said, “you'll never come up out of that until the lake flow over”.    So it isn't a very wide lake, now but there was no man could ever put a stone over it because when the stone go over it it'll drop right into the centre.    So it's 'cause the stones that's getting thrown into it and the ground I suppose, wasting away, 'tis inclined to flow over it you know,   

He say, “you'll never come up out of that till the lake flow over”. 

So that's what they're afraid of now, in case the lake flow over, d'you know, it could happen any day like,    Petticoat Loose come up with a whole lot of chains hanging from her.

M Mc  So there was a couple of horses gone belonging to me, so I got into a bus.   And bejakers, we were going along a woody road anyway, where there was a big demense of a house like, here and there, d'you know.    And there was a man sitting in front of me anyway and he'd a black

suit and a black suitcase and a black umbrella, everything he had on him was black.  

Wasn't the sun gleaming in through the window of the bus and off I went to sleep anyway.  

Jay, when I woke anyway, the feller prodding me like that, 'twas your man.   

“Come on”, he said, “you've stole my wallet”.

“I didn't steal any wallet on yourself”, says I to him.  

“Come on”, he said, “you did”, calling the bus conductor, “stop at the next police station now, because he stole my wallet”.

The bus conductor he said, “is that your wallet down there on the floor”, he said.   

Faith, he looked, “oh jakers”, he said.   He said, “I'm terribly sorry”, he said, “I don't know how to make it up to you”, he said to me.  

“Yerra, that's all right”, I said to him.   

“Look”, he said, “there's a five pound note and forget about it”.   

So the bus conductor did that to me (shakes head).   

“Ah no”, the bus conductor he said, “if he was guilty you wouldn't take a five pound note off of him would you”?

“Well, let's see, I'll give you ten”, he said.   

The bus conductor done that to me (shakes head)

“Oh no”, says I to him.  

“Look”, he said, “you might as well not start talking in pennies at all”, the bus conductor he said.   

“Look, I'll give you fifty pounds and forget about the whole lot”.  

The bus conductor;   (shakes head)   

“Oh no”, said I to him,   “fifty pound wouldn't buy my character”, said I to him.   

“Well I know that”, he said, “look”, he said, “I'll make you rich, I'll give you a hundred”.  

And the bus conductor done that to me anyway (nods head).  

All right”, said I to him.  

“Right”, he said to the bus conductor, “you know where to pull, pull up at my house”.   

“Fair enough”, says the bus conductor. 

So he drives on and he pulled up at a house.   And jay, 'twas a terrible bloody windy day, d'you know, and the gates, when we opened them they were all creaking and everything, d'you know.   And as we went up along the avenue I didn't feel a bit like going up there.

Say I, “I'll stand here at the gates”, says I to him, “and you can bring it down to me”.  

“Ah”, he said, “come on away up”, he said.  

So up I goes, and the trees were groaning up above our head and we walking up along this lonesome looking avenue. And 'twas dusk in the evening like, you see.  

And I came up anyway, to the hall door; I'd say the door wasn't opened maybe for, by the look of it, it wasn't opened for ten years.  'Twas all those cobwebs and spider webs and everything.  And he opened the door.  

“Jay”, says I, “won't go in no further, far enough”, you know.   

“Ah come in”, says he, “inside the door”.

So I went inside the door and he opened the second one.

Says I, “I won't go no further, I'll stop here”.  

So bejay, he went in anyway and five minutes paused and ten minutes passed.  But out he came and he'd a black suitcase like this in his hand, d'you know.  

And he said, “now your money's inside in that now and take it”.   

I kept looking at him anyway and I went to open it and he put the knife and he went at me like that.   

Wasn't I asleep inside in the bus the whole time.

J C        Where did you learn this?

M Mc   Oh, many moons ago Jim1 when I was a kid again, same thing, yeah.

J C         Is this a true story?

M Mc    Well they claim it was, they claim so.

M Mc    Well, there was a girl and boy one time and they were courting back in part of Kerry, they call Castlemaine. So, in their meeting places then was at a crossroads like, such as up at Mr Sullivan's house that's where they'd make their dates that time, you know.   

Bejaze, the boy was coming along anyway, he was to meet Mary anyway, at the crossroads and there was high trees there like.    So in order to give her a bit of' a shock anyway, he climbed the tree and he got out on the branch of it.   So he could see Mary coming along and she walking away anyway, he saw those two rogues and they coming up behind her.  

Oh bejay, they murdered her anyway and when they murdered her he was afraid to get down off of the tree because they'd have murdered him too.    He was a nervous kind of a lad.   

So didn't they dig a hole in the ditch anyway, inside the ditch and bejay, they buried her.   

So poor Paddy was coming along anyway, he was arrested and brought in and charged with the murder of the girl Mary.    So the morning he was up in court anyway, the two fellers that killed her they was at court, and the two of them was sitting back at the end of the court-house,   

So the Judge asked him up, know had he anything to say, what have you to say, he said, well, he said;

“One moonlight night as I sat so high,

Waiting for one as two passed by.

The tree did shake and my heart did break”, he said,

“To see the holes that the rogues did make”.

And the two fellers who were sitting at the back anyway, they flew out the door, they knew the answer to the riddle but the judge didn't.    So 'twas then they found out who the two fellers was anyway.

He told them then, “there are the two fellers went out”, he said.   

So they asked him to repeat the riddle anyway.    That's what he made up during the time he was in prison.    So begod, that's how he won his case anyway, he got away with it, your two men were caught.