When I was looking at stories from the Cornwall region, I loved this story.
Rosie is beautiful Red and White cow. Beautiful eyelashes, big brown eyes, brimming with health and good fortune. Not only was Rosie beautiful, but because she was so lovely her entire farm was blessed. All the other farm animals were the best they could be, the crops were plentiful and the Farmer and his wife were prosperous.
However she did have a bit of quirk. Rosie happily gave up her milk each day, but would not let down the last and often best creamy bits at the end. Whenever someone would try to force the last drops of milk, she would kick over the pail and run off. She would sulk for days before she let someone else get close enough to milk.
One day the milk maid was late getting back to the farm and so late to milk Rosie and feed Rosie's new calf. As she was finishing she heard a strange noise and looked back to see some of the Small Folk (fairies) tickling Rosie and feeding her special herbs. In return she was giving up the last few bits of creaminess. The Small Folk were gathering it up in leaves and flower cups or just laying beneath Rosie and opening their mouths.
Well the Milk Maid told the Farmers Wife and she was determined that no Small Folk would have the milk she thought of as hers. So the next day she went off and found the rare herbs and tried to feed them to Rosie, then she tried to tickle the cow...but Rosie was having none of it. She pushed away from the Farmwife and ran off.
Rosie and her calf became wild. Refusing to be caught they began to get quite thin and scraggly. As their health deteriorated so too did the farm. The chickens wouldn't lay, the horses wouldn't pull, the crops began to fail and the once prosperous farm was no longer prosperous.
Even now, the people say that farm is no good. So be careful to always honor your magic cow or at the very least don't take milk from the Small Folk...
Next Story Interlude: Mother Ivey
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