How the Seagull got Webbed Feet

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  • Teideal (Title): How the Seagull got Webbed Feet.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 853911.
  • Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
  • Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): none.
  • Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
  • Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
  • Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
  • Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
  • Catagóir (Category): story.
  • Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
  • Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Lucy Simpson.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 17/03/1980.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
  • Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
  • Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
  • Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.

The seagull envied the curlew’s ability to swim, so one day he borrowed the curlew’s webbed feet – just for the day. At the end of the day, however, he was so pleased that he refused to give the webbed feet back to the curlew.

This explains why the seagull can swim, while the curlew has to be content with wading.

Joe tells Lucy, ‘There’s a lot of old stories like that, you know.’ Indeed, there are.