Scéal

transcribed at

Scéal  [duchas:4708995]

Once upon a time an old woman was suspected of carrying milk from the neighbours on May morning.
She was complained to the parish priest, who watched her movements on a certain May morning. He noticed that she took something from one neighbour's farm which looked like a spancel. He followed and on coming close to her he gave her a stroke of a whip. Presently he noticed drops of milk all along the path which she travelled very swiftly.
When she discovered that her capture was inevitable she threw the spancel from her. The priest picked it up and took it home. He threw it carelessly up on a loft. When he went to the loft again he found it filled with butter.
The spancel was then burned.

About 80 years ago, a certain woman in Clounmilane could get no return from her cows. She went ot he priest and told him her story. He came to the house and said a mass for her intentions but with

Scéal  [duchas:4708996]

no sign of improvement. He came again and said another, and still the cows had  very poor return. After the third mass however they gave twice the milk. As well as that they noticed every morning for some time butter dropping from the eaves of the dwelling house. 
One morning while this woman's cows had no return, her son went into a neighbour's house, and noticed a spancel tied round a chair, and the woman of the house drawing milk from it.