Fardorougha, The Miser The Works of William Carleton, Volume One

A moonlit night in rural Ireland sets the stage for a quiet yet urgent visit to a remote cottage. A diligent midwife, ever‑watchful and scarcely sleeping, is summoned to attend a birth in the austere household of the notoriously stingy Fardorougha Donovan. The journey through narrow lanes and open meadows introduces the reader to the tight‑knit community, its gossip, and the stark contrast between the midwife’s compassionate vigilance and the Donovan family’s hard‑hearted frugality.

As the carriage rolls up the gentle slope toward the white‑washed farm, the story gently probes how poverty of spirit can shape lives as surely as material scarcity. Through sharp dialogue and vivid countryside detail, the opening invites listeners to contemplate the tension between generosity and greed, and to wonder how a simple act of care might ripple through a world where wealth is prized above all else.