One of the most magical places in Killarney is Gleann na gCappail (the Horse's Glen) and nearby Cappach. If there are fairies, they are sure to be here.

Billy Thompson was a small farmer at the foot of Mangerton who after clearing his land of rocks and furze married Judy Donoghue from Glenflesk. Together they had a large family.

While his family was increasing one misfortune after another was decreasing Billy's stock. But he still made the best of things, consoling himself that they still had the milk from the maol cow to go with the praities.

No sooner said than Paddy Gleeson came and told him the maol cow had fallen down a cliff in the Horses Glen - where she had been taken that morning to graze on the mountain.

This was the last straw. "The children will be crying for the drop of milk to go with their praities and Judy will leach the life out of me for sending you to the mountain, and she agin it all along".

But to make the best of things Billy immediately headed off to the Glen to skin the cow and save the meat for broth. But when he got there he found the animal had been very badly broken in the fall - it looked as if hide or meat would be of little value. But Billy set to the job. By the time he had finished the skinning it was getting dark. He cleaned his black handled knife in a tuft of grass and shamrock and in some fright ( from the many sounds in the early night in the Glen) stuffed knife and tuft of grass and shamrock in his pocket.

Then, he turned to have a last look at the carcass - but to his amazement, instead of the remains of the cow, there was a little old curmudgeon sitting bolt upright and looking as if he had just been flayed alive. If Billy was frightened at the sight it was still worse with him when the little fellow called after him in a shrill, squeaking voice "Bill Thompson! Bill Thompson! a you spailpin, you had better come back with my skin; a pretty time of day we have come to, when a gentleman like me can't take a bit of a sleep, but an oinseach of a fellow must come and strip the hide off him; but you had better bring it back, Bill Thompson, or I will make you remember how you have dared to skin me,you spailpin".

Although Billy was greatly frightened he stood his ground and explained it was the skin of his maol cow. But offered to return the skin if he got his cow back. No sooner said than done. Behind him Billy heard his cow screeching and when he turned she was being chased by four little fellows with red caps who turned out to be from rival factions and started to fight over the cow. So, encouraged by the little curmudgeon, while the four were distracted by the fight, Billy had no trouble in taking the cow away. When he was high on the side of the Horses Glen within sight of his farm Billy looked back at the great fight and forgetting himself shouted out in excitement at the quality of the battle. Realising he was in trouble the little curmudgeon offered to help and said "you are done for now Billy Thompson but loose no time in giving me the tuft of grass and I will lend you a lift". Immediately Billy handed it over. Then he received a blow which in a moment knocked him to the ground unconscious. When he came to himself, the sun was shining; and where should he be but lying near the bounds ditch of his own farm, with his maol cow grazing beside him; and to be sure he would never have got her again, or have come off so well, if it wasn't for the four leaf shamrock and the black handled knife.