‘A woman died an’ left her husband sorrowing with a baby boy. He’s grief wus tarrable, but quick an’ sudden over like, as such griefs sometimes are. An’ before he’s wife wus more than coul’ in the oul’ burial groun’ of Creggan, he’s fancy wus captured by another. An’ in a short time he wus again before the altar.
But he’s second marriage wus not as happy as he’s first. He’s new wife was jealous an’ the son of the first marriage fared ill at the han’s of the stepmother.
This went on till one evenin’ the first wife appeared till him an’ toul’ him that she wus with the wee people but so unhappy about their boy that she be till return, an’ that he alone cud help her to do so. He, poor sowl, wus all flustered for what wus he till do with two wives – even if they did agree – which wus far from likely. However he promised to rescue her when she pled to be allowed to be a sarvent to him an’ the wife all her days, if allowed to look after her boy. An’ at the same time she promised niver till be a trouble to either of them in any way.
There wus but one plan of rescue. An’ that was be the aid of the milk of a particular cow in the byre. An’ the milk had to be gathered in a can free from water as the least drop would prevent the escape an’ prove fatal to her. To those conditions the husband agreed an’ give his promise true not to mention the subject to livin’ sowl. He did not keep his bargain though for he toul’ his wife. An’ in the byre when he wusn’t lookin’ she spilled some water in.
That wus on Hallow Eve, an’ he wus to know he’s wife as the wee people rode past the house that night, because she wud be ridin’ on the third grey horse. He waited with the milk on the kitchen dresser an’ shure enough he soon heared them comin’.
An’ out he went till the gable of the house an’ threw the milk over the lady on the third grey horse. She tumbled off an’ there wus a great commotion.
An’ in the mornin’ the road wus all blud. The wee people had killed her as she said they wud, if water should be in the milk an’ they find out she had spoke of them till mortals.
An’ mebbe he lived happy ever after when he heared about the water.
I dunno the right way of that!