The stories told on these pages are from  a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. 
The children recorded (over&nbsp740,000 handwritten pages) of this material from their parents, grandparents and neighbours.

These are their stories in their own words.

St Patrick and the dry cow


SCHOOL: An Aill | ADDRESS: Aille, Co. Galway


The story of St. Patrick and the dry cow. Proud Irish Traditions.
Saint Patrick and The Dry Cow

When St. Patrick was travelling Ireland one day he came to a poor widow and asked her for lodging.

She said she would give him lodging but she had not a very good place for him. He told her it would do to leave his head until morning.

So she cleaned the house for him as good as she could. Then she gave him his supper. After that she was going out to milk the cow for their tea with a small pitcher when St. Patrick asked her is that all that goes in the milk the cow has that goes in that pitcher.

She said that is all.

Then St. Patrick went out with her to where the cow was.

St. Patrick touched the cows udder and mil flowed forth. He told her to bring out the biggest pitcher and the cow filled it.

He told her never bring a small vessel milking a cow again.


Bibliography

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0059, Page 0417” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

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