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Ferrar, William J.

"More English Fairy Tales"


"No," said the wise woman, "thou 'rt a bigger fool than ever, my lad."
"So they all say," sighed the fool; "but where can I get the right sort
of coat o' clay, then, missis?"
"When thou 'rt done with this world, and thy folk put thee in the
ground," said the wise woman. "That's the only coat o' clay as 'll make
such as _thee_ wise, lad. Born a fool, die a fool, and be a fool thy
life long, and that's the truth!"
And she went into the house and shut the door.
"Dang it," said the fool. "I must tell my mother she was right after
all, and that she'll never have a wise man for a son!"
And he went off home.


The Three Cows

There was a farmer, and he had three cows, fine fat beauties they were.
One was called Facey, the other Diamond, and the third Beauty. One
morning he went into his cowshed, and there he found Facey so thin that
the wind would have blown her away. Her skin hung loose about her, all
her flesh was gone, and she stared out of her great eyes as though she'd
seen a ghost; and what was more, the fireplace in the kitchen was one
great pile of wood-ash.


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