Thomas Keightley (1789–1872) was an Irish writer mostly famous for his works on folklore and mythology. His most notable works are Fairy Mythology (1850), and Mythology of Ancient Greece and Italy, a work on Popular Tales and their transmission from one country to another. Among other works he is also knows for his historical works and studies, like Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia (1829)

The Broken Oaths is a folk tale collected by Thomas Keightley. The story follows a young man, the only son of rich man. After his father’s passing he inherited all the goods, and wealth, and riches. However, he was to swear an oath of never leave his country for aby reason, in order to have all his father’s belongings in his possession. One fateful day a ship arrived from India, and its captain told our hero, that a lot of his father’s riches still remain out there. “If thou wilt come with me, thou wilt be able to obtain much riches”, he said. But for that an oath must be broken.