A Story

18th May 1937

Once upon a time there was a man who had three sons.
When the eldest of them was twenty-one his father thought it was time for him to go and seek his fortune, so he gave him a hound a hawk and a filly and his blessing and he set off on his way. He travelled along for a week and a day till he came to a rich farmer's house.
The farmer's only daughter fell in love with him when she saw him, and they arranged to be married on a certain day. The night before the marriage they gathered all their friends and neighbours to the wedding feast.
They had the wedding cake left out on the window and along came a hare and brought it with her. The young man saw her, and he said he wouldn't rest till he had caught her. He jumped on his horse and called to his hound and hawk to follow.
They kept the hare in sight till night fell, when they lost track of her at the verge of a thick wood.
He was looking about for a place to camp for the night and he saw a light in the distance and he drew as far as it and to his joy he beheld a little cabin. The cabin was empty, so he went in and brought his animals with him. He made a good fire and cooked his supper and when he had eaten he sat down to have a smoke. After a while he heard a knock at the window and looking up he saw an old hag outside. "It is very cold out here" said the hag. "Come in and warm yourself" said the young man. "I am afraid of those animals of yours" said she. "They won't harm you" said he. "For fear said she tie them up with these" handing him three strands of her hair.
He tied the animals and she came in and attacked him with fury. She was getting the better of him and he called out "Tilly Tilly where are you? and the old hag shouted Hare hare hold tight. The filly answered "What can I do and my throat cutting" The man called the other two in turn and recieved the same answers. She then struck him with a wand and turned him into a green stone and left him outside the door. She did the same to the three animals and turned them into three white stones and left them round the green one.
When a year and a day went by and the son did not return his parents got uneasy about him and they thought he must be dead so the second son made up his mind to go in search of him. He also got a hound hawk and filly.
He travelled on for a week and a day till he came to the farmer's house. He resembled his brother so much that the farmer thought it was the same one that had returned.
They welcomed him gladly and again the wedding feast was prepared, one of the choice dishes was left on the window to cool when the hare came again and began to eat and in his haste he overturned the dish and broke it.
The young man jumped up and followed the hare as the other brother.
He met with the same fate as the other man.

“INFORMANT: Tom Adams, Age 47, Prison North, Co. Mayo”

— Duchas.ie

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