SCHOOL: Windgap (C.), Thomastown | ADDRESS: Windgap, Co. Kilkenny
Once there lived a poor widow who had three daughters. One day the youngest daughter said to her mother:-
“I am going to seek my fortune so make a cake for me.” So her mother made her a cake and gave it to her. This young girl had when leaving a story book, a dog, and a stick. She walked on some miles until mid – day when she reached a well and she said to herself “I will sit down here and get some water and eat a portion of this cake.”
She was not long there when a robin came and said to her “Are you lonely?”
“I am not lonely I have a book to read, a stick in my hand and a dog to gaurd me.” The robin said to her:- “There is a great king’s palace up that road and if you are looking for employment he will give it to you!”
“Thank you,” said the girl and she went up to the palace. The king gave her employment for three days.
He put her sleeping in the front room. This room was haunted. The king’s son was under a spell and the spell would not be broken until some fair lady would stay in this room for three nights.
All was well for the first night until about twelve oclock when the king’s son appeared in a coffin on the floor. He asked if she was lonely and she said she was not.
Just then the coffin vanished. The same thing happened for three night in succesion. The third night it happened he said “I am safe now” and he got out of the coffin and the coffin vanished.
In the morning the king’s daughters ran down to the maid and when they saw their brother they kissed him and ran with the good news to their father. Their father was so delighted to see his son that he gave him to her in marriage. The girl sent for her mother and two sisters and they lived happily ever afterwards.
Bibliography
“The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0851, Page 233” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.