Abstract: Story collected by Willie Scanlon, a student at Baile Dubh (2), (B.) school (Ballyduff, Co. Waterford) from informant Mrs Hallahan.
Original reference: 0634/4/67
School Baile Dubh (2), (B.) [Vol. 0634, Chapter 0004]
County The Schools' Manuscript Collection : Waterford County Schools
Homemade Toys [duchas:4376759]
Many toys are made in my district. A cradle is made to catch birds. Firstly things are got and a little cradle is made. They are made mostly in winter time when the birds are hungry. The cradle is placed in a field and bread is put into it. A piece of board is got and a piece of elastic is attached to it. A tack is got and driven a little though the board. The bird comes and kicks the tack and the board shoots up and she is inside then. A lamp is made out of a jam mug, by getting a small turnip and holing it. Then it is placed in the mug and a candle is placed in the turnip. Sometimes dolls are made by getting a piece of cloth and sewing it. Then bran is got and it is filled with bran. A cord is got and the cloth is tied and a head is made. A pencil is got and eyes are made. Flogging top may be made by getting a piece of timber and (k) making it around. A boot nail is got and put into the top of the timber. Then the top is made. A whistle may be made out of chestnut by holing the top of it. Then you could blow into it.
Homemade Toys [duchas:4376760]
The way to make a snake is. - Firstly you must go to the shopkeeper and but some snare wire. Then you will cut six wires and have them about one foot and a half long. Put them together and twist them. Then you must tie a twine to the wire and the snare is made. Girls find it great fun to make a daisy chain. The way it is done is:- You would gather a certain amount of daises. Then you would put a hole in one and slip another one through it and so on until you will have them all used. The way they used to make whistles long ago was:- Get the skin of a horse chestnut tree and put a split on it like whistles nowadays. Then get a small bit of a stick and slip it into it and the whistle is made. To make a pop gun a branch of
Original reference: 0634/4/67
Homemade Toys
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