But it was no such thing, for the Little Redcap gave Tom Coghlan a charm so that he could cure any sick person. And Tom took it home, and became a great man with a very full purse. He gave good schooling to his children. One of them he made a grand butter-merchant in the city of Cork, and the youngest son—being ever and always a well-spoken lad—he made a lawyer; and his two daughters married well.
And Tom is as happy as a man can be!
THE CURMUDGEON’S SKIN
From Ireland
It is well known in old Ireland that a Four-leaved Shamrock has the power to open a man’s eyes so that he can see all kinds of enchantments, and this is what happened to Billy Thompson:—
One misfortune after another decreased his goods. His sheep died; and his pig got the measles, so that he was obliged to sell it for little or nothing. But still he had his cow.
“Well,” said Billy to his wife, for he was a good-humoured fellow, and always made the best of things,—“Well!” said he, “it can’t be helped! Anyhow, we’ll not want the drop of milk to our potatoes, as long as the cow’s left to comfort us!”
The words were hardly out of his mouth when a neighbour came running up to tell him that his cow had fallen from a cliff, and was lying dead in the Horses’ Glen. For Billy, you must know, had sent his cow that very morning to graze on the cliff.