Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/327

Rh A handful of new wheat to be taken to a stream, part thrown in against the current and the rest eaten, the future husband will come and take hold of the girl to prevent her falling in.

66, Morehampton Road, Dublin.

There was once a poor labourer who had a large family to support, and at that time food was dear. One day he remarked to his wife, "I wish a nice kind of fairy would think of us. My master says I must go and plough the eleven-acre field on Monday morning; that will bring in something, anyhow." On the Monday following he started ploughing and found a bright new shilling at the foot of the plough. He put it into his pocket and prayed for more. The second morning when he got to the field he found two bright new shillings lying on the freshly-turned furrows of the day before. These he pocketed too. On the third morning there were three new shillings. Delighted, he pocketed them and prayed for more. On his return home he said to his wife, "I don't know when I shall finish this field, but I sha'n't hurry over it. The longer I am about it the better for me." To that she replied, "All right, Joe!" On the fourth morning there were four new shillings. So it went on, a fresh shilling being added each day, until he had collected quite a pile of brand new shillings. Then he thought to himself, "I cannot keep this money from my wife any longer, as the poor children are in want." So he gave his wife ten new shillings. She looked at them and asked immediately: " oe, where ever did you get all these shillings, and new too?" "Never you mind as long as you've got it," replied the labourer. She took the money and went to the village to shop, buying bread, butter, tea, and sugar, and some other things. Joe kept giving her more shillings, until one day she asked suspiciously: "Has your master paid you your week's wages yet?" "No, no," he said, "he hasn't got no change, but I can give you some more shillings." And he did. She looked at them doubtfully and said, "Well, Joe! all bright shillings again. They look as if they had only just been made.