Long ago there lived in a small house at the foot of Knockfierna Hill a widow woman and her two sons Jack and Jim. Jack was a very clever lad and learned his lessons very quickly. He was also very sly. Jim was the opposite. He was very slow and very shy. His companions regarded him as an omadan (fool). His mother said Jim would be an intelligent and successful man. He had a kind heart and helped his mother work their small farm. Jack and work did not agree.

One fine day Jack with his dog wandered away from home till he came to the foot of Knockfierna Hill. He crossed over the stream and laid down on the soft green grass listening to the birds singing. After a while he heard a noise amongst the ferns that grew nearer. Suddenly, a large hare appeared and stood still watching Jack. Jack hurled his stick at the hare and hit him on the side of the head. It ran down the mountain like lightning and disappeared. Jack was amazed at the size of the hare. He urged his dog to follow the hare but the dog whined and lay down at his feet.

Jack came home and told his mother what he had seen. "Jack", said the mother, "that is the fairy hare you have seen. It is a hare by day and it takes the form of an old hag by night. She lives in a cave on the side of the mountain. She is very fierce and no-one has the courage to go near her. Some people say that there is a great fortune in store for anyone who would have the courage to go and talk to her". Both Jack and Jim listened with great attention to what their mother told them.

"Now", thought Jack, "I shall be rich for life. I shall never have to work and shall always have a good time. I am clever and courageous and I will go to the cave and talk to the hag. She is sure to tell a fine handsome fellow like me where the treasure is to be found". He waited that night till the moon was high in the sky and a way with him to Knockfierna Hill. When he reached the stream he saw an old woman standing on the bank. She wanted to cross the stream but was afraid she would lose her footing on the slippery stones. When she saw Jack she said "Young man, kindly lend your aid, to cross the stone, I am afraid". "Get out of my way old creature" said Jack as he jumped across the stones and away with him. He left the old woman standing there alone and sad.

He climbed the hillside until he came to a cave amongst the rocks. From inside the cave, he heard a harsh voice calling out, "Who dares to come to my cavern home?" Just then, out of the mouth of the cave came an ugly old woman with long teeth and piercing eyes. As he looked into the cave he saw a number of lizards and toads there. "I came," said Jack, "to seek the wealth and good fortune". "I am sorry for any injury I have done you" said Jack. "So you should be. It was a shame for you to ill-treat a harmless hare. However, now that you have dared to come to my cave, I may tell you there is hidden good fortune here for someone who is brave enough and lucky enough to perform three difficult tasks which I will set them". "I will undertake to do any task, no matter how difficult it is," said Jack. "Very well" said the hag. "Take this basket of eggs. Go to the top of the hill. Place the basket on your head. Put your hands behind your back and run down the mountain side, without breaking one egg".

Jack did as the hag told him but when he attempted to run down the side of the hill, the basket fell down over his face and clothes so that he was all covered with egg yolks and whites. "Haw, haw" the hag laughed. "You have failed in your first task. Now try the second. Here is a tumbler without a bottom. Take a drink out of it from that large vessel on the floor".

Jack stooped to try to get a drink from the bottomless tumbler but he succeeded only wetting his clothes and mixing the water with the eggs. The hag laughed and said, "You have failed in the second task, now for the third". She took the tongs and placed it in the fire, which was at the far off end of the cave. When it was red hot, she asked Jack to take it in his hand and hold it until she told him to drop it.

Jack caught hold of the tongs but of course he dropped it immediately as his hand got burned. "Begone" said the hag "and never set foot near this place again". Jack returned home, sad and weary. Next morning he told his mother he was tired of life on the farm and that he would go away to seek his fortune. He did not tell her or Jim of his visit to the hag’s cave.

Now Jim wished to make his mother rich and happy for she was poor and had few of the comforts of life. About a month after Jack’s departure, he set out one morning for Knockfierna Hill. He hoped to have a chance of finding the hidden treasure. Just as he had crossed the stream, the hare appeared from the bunch of ferns. For a moment it stood still. Then it sped down the side and vanished from view. "Poor hare" said Jim, "may the fox never catch you".

He went home and did his day’s work. When night fall came he again took his way to Knockfierna Hill. The moon was shining brightly. When he reached the stream an old woman stood on the bank. She turned to him and said "Young stranger, kindly lend your aid, to cross the stream, I am afraid". "I’ll help you across and welcome," said Jim. He lifted the old woman in his strong arms and carried her safely across over the slippery stones.

"Now" said the old woman, "I know you are going to the hag’s cave to seek your fortune. She will set you three difficult tasks. For the first one take this little pad and place it on your head. Take this tumbler for the second and this iron glove for the third. Now leave me and may good luck go with you". Jim climbed the hill until he came to the cave. The harsh voice of the hag cried out "Who dares to come to my cavern home?" He looked into the cave as the hag came towards him. Inside amongst the dirt and slime he saw a number of toads and lizards. "Why did you come here?" said the hag. "I came to seek the good fortune that is to be found in this place. Tell me please what I must do to deserve the good fortune".

"There are three tasks which you must perform," said the hag, "and I must warn you that if you agree to do one you must do all three". "I promise to try any three tasks you set me," said Jim. "Very well" said the hag. "First, take this basket of eggs. Climb to the top of Knockfierna. Put the basket on your head. Put your hands behind your back and run down the hill without breaking one of the eggs".

Jim took the basket of eggs and climbed to the top of the hill. He put the pad on top of his head, then placed the basket on it and ran down the side without breaking even one egg. "Good man" said the hag. "You have succeeded in performing the first task. Now for the second. Here is a bottomless tumbler. There is water in that vessel on the floor. Take a drink of water out of the tumbler".

Jim slipped into the bottomless tumbler the one which the old woman had given him. He stooped down, filled the tumbler and took a drink of water. "Good again" said the old hag. "Now for the third one." She put the tongs into the fire and waited until it was red hot. "Now lift the tongs and hold it in your hand till I tell you to drop it". Jim slipped on the iron glove, and lifted the tongs out of the fire. As he did so, a sort of a faintness came over him and for a moment all was in darkness.

When the light reappeared the cave was no longer there. It its place was a magnificent castle and standing by its side was a beautiful girl and with her the old woman he had seen at the stream. Numbers of beautifully dressed men and women were there also. Jim rubbed his eyes to assure himself he was not dreaming.

Then the girl spoke in Gaelic "Thank you" she said "for breaking the cruel spell that bound me. I am the daughter of a king and this is my fairy godmother". Jim stared at the princess but remembering his manners bowed low to the ground. "My attendants here" continued the princess "were the toads and lizards you saw in the cave. The toads were the ladies and the lizards were the gentlemen". "But your highness", said Jim, "where has the cave gone and what has brought about this wonderful change?" "It’s a long, sad story" said the princess. "I shall ask my fairy godmother to tell it to you".

"Her highness" said the fairy godmother "had the misfortune to lose her mother when she was very young. The king did not survive the queen. The princess was put in charge of her uncle. The uncle was a very cruel man and wanted the kingdom for himself. He was afraid to have the princess killed. He sent for a cunning witch and promised her a long share of wealth if she could get rid of the princess.

"I will do that," said the witch "If you will allow me to destroy the castle in which the princess is now living". "I am willing," said the wicked uncle. The witch then used her evil powers to change the castle into a cave and the ladies of the court into toads and the gentlemen into lizards. The princess became an ugly old hag. Her voice and her whole nature changed. She was as you have seen her, a harsh, rough spoken fierce woman. She was never allowed to leave the cave except for a short time in the day and then she had to take the form of a hare".

The princess herself now spoke. "The witch has no power over my fairy godmother. It was she who was able to lessen the spell. No evil spell can hold out forever against goodness and courage. My godmother knew that if she could find a kind brave man who would perform the three difficult tasks which you have done the spell would be broken".

"But", said Jim "won’t the cruel uncle find out that the spell is broken?" "The cruel uncle will trouble the princess no more" said her god mother. "He broke his word to the witch and would not share his wealth with her and in revenge she made a magic circle round his castle and everyone in it. The witch in her delight at seeing the earth shaking, missed her footing, stepped inside the circle and was lost. The princess is now without parents or kindred and it is for me to choose a husband for her, a husband who will be brave and kind. You have proved yourself to be both. I now offer you her hand in marriage".

Jim turned towards the princess, who said that all of the men she had ever met, he was the one she would like to marry. "There is one thing", said Jim. "I know what is on your mind" said the godmother. "You are thinking of your mother". "Have no fear for her" said the princess, she will be brought here and we will all live happily together".

And so Jim and the princess were married and enjoyed many years together. The castle no longer remains. In after years it was razed to the ground by invaders.