Folk Tales from Western Newfoundland

As Told by Angela Kerfont and Transcribed by Marie-Annick Desplanques

This book is on display at the Heritage room at Ozzie's General Store in Cape St. George, NL.

The Four Witches

One time it was a man and a woman. They had one little girl. The man used to go in the woods for all days, and the woman used to go and bring him his lunch everyday. One day anyway, she was too late to clean her house and wash her baby, so she cooked his dinner and took off to bring it to him. So anyway after she was gone, four witches came ; one stayed outdoors to watch, one washed the baby and the other two washed the dishes and swept the floor. They got all the house cleaned and the baby shifted with nice clothes ; everything was nice. So they cooked dinner and they ate and after they all had eaten they cleaned it up ; they put the baby in her cot and they took off. Well, when the woman came back, she was stunned ; her house was so nice, all cleaned up ; her baby was so pretty. Ť Oh ! ť she said, Ť That's funny ! That's the first time that happens to me ! ť So the next morning she said, Ť Well, I'm gonna have it like that again, me; see if they're gonna come back ! ť and she took off in the woods. Just a bit after she had left, the four witches came again. The same one stayed outdoors to watch and the other three did all the work in the house, washed the baby and everything. After, they cooked dinner and ate. But only the ones who were in the house ate ; the one who had stood outside never ate at all. Anyway they cleaned everything, put the baby in the cot and took off. When the woman came back, she was surprised one more time. She said, Ť That's something ! That never happened to me before ! I got to tell my old man !ť Anyway her husband came back from the woods. She told him, she said, Ť Well ! Old man ! I Find it funny. That's two days today I leave the house all upside down, I've done no work, I go and bring your lunch and when I come back, my house is all cleaned up ! And the baby is shifted clean in the cot sleeping, no one to be seen ! ť Ť Well ! ť he says, Ť I got an idea ! If you want to find out, tomorrow morning hide yourself; don't come in the woods. Hide yourself in the house and you'll know who is doing your work ! ť

Thus, the next morning, she hides herself in the house and waits. My God! She hears noise, someone is coming, four witches ! They are talking, so three of them get in the house, and the last one stays outdoors and watches. They clean the house all up, shift the baby, cook dinner and eat. Now they say, Ť We're gonna go, but before we go, we're gonna make a wish ! ť And so they do. The oldest one looks at the baby and says, Ť I know she's pretty, I wish she'd be ten times prettier ! ť And the second one says, Ť I know she is pretty, I wish she'd be ten times prettier ! ť The third one says, Ť I know she's pretty, I wish she'd be ten times prettier and roses will come out of her mouth when she speaks ! ť But the youngest one was not as glad as the other witches. She was the one who always stayed outdoors and never ate at all, but she also made a wish, she said, Ť I know she's pretty. I wish she'd be ten times prettier, but when the sun breaks she'll/all into a serpent ! ť Then all was said and done and the four witches took off never to return. The woman who was still hidden in the house heard all that. She was glad for three of the witches, but certainly not for the youngest one. She almost came foolish for her baby, and when her husband came back from the woods that night she told him about her discovery and how the four witches had come and wished on her baby. She said, Ť Look here at our girl. She's pretty but we got to put her in a dark room where she can't see no sun and stays always in a girl ! ť Sure they were not happy about that.

One day, there was a prince on a horseback riding in the forest, and by and by he heard singing and singing and singing. So he stopped and said, Ť I wonder who is singing like that. I've got to find out! ť So he rode on following the melody and arrived at the house. He knocked on the door and the woman opened. He said Ť Who is in your house that sings so good as that ? ť Ť Well! ť she said Ť That's my daughter, but when the sun comes out she's into a serpent and when it rains she's into a girl! ť Ť Well! ť he said, Ť I don't care what goes on, I got to get her ! ť She was singing so well, he liked the singing, and when he saw her he almost came crazy, she was so pretty. Ť Well! ť the woman said, Ť if you want her you have to come on a rainy day ! ť Ť 0. K. ! ť he said. And there he was, waiting. So one day, it was pouring rain. He took his horse and carriage and went to fetch the girl. They went to his home and the rain was falling and falling and falling. But before they got home, the sun came: she fell out of the carriage in a drain and there she stayed into a serpent. She was singing and singing and singing. When he saw that, he went there, lied down beside her and died there with her.

The Silver Mountain

One time there was a man and a woman. They had three daughters, two of whom had signed their names to the devil and were gone. Mary, the youngest one, stayed at home with her mother and father. One weekend, Mary had finished with her work, she had cleaned up everything, and she walked to the store. When she got there, her sister was there. She said, Ť Mary! You have to come with us tonight. We're gonna have a big time, lots of fun, lots of money, lots of sport! ť Ť No ! ť said Mary, Ť I'm staying home with mum and dad ! I wouldn't say I wouldn't go out with you later though ! ť And Mary went back home. She finished all her work, then her mother said, ŤI suppose Mary, you want to go to the dance tonight ? ť Ť Well mum ! If you want to let me go, / go ! ť Ť Well! Ask your father ! ť So Mary asked her father if she could go to the dance. He said Ť Yes ! But your hour is ten o 'clock, the next time you go again ! ť Oh, she was glad. She put on the best clothes she had, she went out, and when she got outside, there was a man there with his horse and carriage, waiting for her. She got aboard and off they started. He was coaxing her to sign her name. ŤNo ! ť she said, Ť I wouldn't sign my name. I'll keep you company but I wouldn't sign my name ! ť He did not insist. Ť And, ť she said, Ť when I want to go home, be sure you will come here and take me home ! ť Ť Yes ! ť he said, Ťjust let me know ! ť So anyhow they went there. It was a big castle. She saw her sisters dancing and flying everywhere. Suddenly, she looked ; it was five to ten. Now she wanted to go home ! Ť Now ! ť she said, Ť my hour is up ! ť He took her on the horse and carriage, and off they went. When they arrived home, he asked her, Ť Are you going to the dance next week ? ť Ť Well ! ť she said,Ť I believe if you go, I go ! ť

Anyway, Mary went home and worked hard during the whole week. When the next Friday came her mother said, Ť I suppose, Mary, you want to go to the dance tonight ? ť Ť Well mum ! If you let me go I go ! ť Ť Well ask you father ! ť So she asked her father and he said, Ť Yes ! And if you are a good girl like the other night, well you go again tonight, and your hour tonight is eleven o'clock ! ť An hour more ! She was glad ! She went to get dressed. When she came downstairs, she went outside. He was there with his horse and carriage waiting for her. They took off, and on their way going he coaxed her again, Ť Sign your name to us ! ť Ť No I wouldn't sign my name. I'll keep you company, but I wouldn't sign my name ! ť

When they go there, everybody was dancing. Her sisters were dressed up, there was lots of money, lots of fun, and everything that was to go was going. Mary danced, too, she danced and had fun with him. So anyhow, she looked at the time. It was five to eleven, she told him Ť My time is up to go home. Would you come and take me home ? ť Ť Sure ! ť he said, Ť I'll take you home ! ť When they got home, he asked her again if she was coming to the dance next week. Ť Well! ť she said, Ť I go next week, but that will be my last time. I won't go anymore ! ť

And she worked the whole week. Everyday she worked like a dog. When Friday came, she went down to the store again. There she met her sister who asked her if she wanted to come to the dance tonight, Ť Well yes, I may come later ! ť And she went back home. She finished her work and her mother asked, ŤI suppose Mary, you want to go to the dance tonight ? ť Ť Well mum, yes I'd like to go to the dance if you let me go but that's my last dance ! ť she said, ŤI'm not going anymore, I want to stay with you all the time ! ť So she went to ask her father. He said, Ť Yes, you can go! ť Ť Well dad. that's my last dance tonight, I'm not going anymore, I'm gonna stay with you all the time ! ť She told that to her father, too. So she got dressed and when she went outside he was there with his horse and carriage waiting for her. On their way going he coaxed her again, Ť Would you sign your name to us ! ť Ť No ! ť she said, Ť I wouldn't sign my name, I'll keep you company but I wouldn't sign my name ! ť She had to be home for twelve o'clock. Anyway they arrived at the dance. Everybody was having a good time. When came nine o'clock the devil said, Ť The dance's gonna finish on the silver mountain ! ť and he asked Mary, Ť Are coming up with us ? ť Ť Well! If you promise me to take me home when I want to go ! ť Ť Sure ! ť he said, ŤI'll take you home anytime ! ť She was glad! So he took his hat off the ground and everything disappeared away. They found themselves in a big castle, full of lights and everything. The party went on. Well, after a while Mary wanted a drink. She went outside the castle ; and saw a little chapel. She found it funny. Anyway she came back to the castle and the devil was there with a big book and a pen waiting for her. Ť Now Mary ! You've got to sign us your name ! ť Ť No ! ť she said, Ť I won't sign my name ! ť Ť You've got to ! ť he said. Mary grabbed the pen. She made a big cross in the book and everything went in flame. Everything disappeared. She was left alone on the mountain. The next morning, here comes daylight. Mary looked around her, the mountain was covered up with fifty-cent pieces, she was on the silver mountain. She took out one fifty-cent piece, Ť Oh ! ť she said, Ť the rest is all smooth, there's a hole in, I'm gonna put it back !ť And she put it back. Then she remembered the road and the little chapel; she decided to go down that road to see where it led. She walked and finally broke out in a big big town. There were many people, horses, cars, trains, and all kinds of things she had never seen before. But she was not home yet, and she kept on walking. By and by she saw a carriage coming towards her, it was a king with his queen and his son. They stopped and the king said, Ť Get aboard, I'll take you home ! ť And Mary got aboard. The king was driving to his place. On their way going he said, Ť Mary ! Would you like to marry my prince ? ť Ť Oh king ! You're making fun of me ! ť Ť Oh no ! ť he said, Ť you've done us a good thing, you enchanted all of us ! We're enchanted thanks to you ! ť They drove to the king's castle, and when they arrived, the king married them right away. They had a big supper and a big dance. And they all went to Mary's mother and father's. She was always talking about them ; she was longing to see them, you know. They arrived to Mary's parents' house. It was an old shack ; they were really poor off. Her mother had seen them coming and she had told her husband, Ť Look ! The king and the queen are coming this way, and there are two more of them ! ť Anyway, they got off and Mary went to her mother first, Ť I suppose mum, you're tired waiting for me ! ť ŤOh Mary, it's not you ! ť They were so happy to see their daughter back, and with the prince ! They could not understand what happened. So the king told them, Ť Your girl, she enchanted us. I married her to my prince, and you're gonna come with us to stay with us ! ť So they did, and if they're not dead they're living yet!

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