LIST OF STORIES
Reading tools
p. 379
COLLECTED CHIEFLY IN SCOTLAND AFTER JANUARY 1859.
_____________
ENGLISH:
MOST OF THESE WERE TOLD IN GAELIC, AND ARE IN FACT TRANSLATIONS AT FIRST OR SECOND HAND.
SUTHERLAND COLLECTION.
No.
1. The Unwelcome Guest.
Heard by J. F. C. about twenty or twenty-five years ago, in Islay. A man invites a skull to dinner, it comes as an old man, and is frightened away by a particular arrangement of bannocks. I have seen a similar story, but cannot name the book.--D. D.
2. Donald Duval Mackay. (?Devil).
How he lost his shadow.
The Cave of Smoo--Fairy threshing.
3. How he lost his power.
4. The Great Cave of Smoo (Eastern).
5. Donald and the Devil, or whatever else the creature may have been who ate the griddle in the bannock.
(This is to be found in the manuscript from the Highland Society of Scotland: attributed, I think, to Fingal.)
6. The Fairy asking about his chance of Salvation.
This, or something like it, is in "Croker's Irish Stories," and in the "Popular Superstitions of the Highlands," in Grant Stewart's, and seems to shew that the Fairies are the old Pagans, probably those who made the Fairy arrow heads.
7. The Man who flew with the Fairies.
8. A Water Spirit "Vougha," translated Kelpie.
Is this the Irish "Phoca?"
9. Second Sight--The Road.
This is a good instance, and is probably an article of popular belief.
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No.
10. The Funeral Procession.
This is the same as a story in Grant Stewart's collection, and is probably common.
11. A Second-sight Warning of Death, and the Ghost.
This is like some in Grant Stewart's collection.
12. Captain W. Ross and his Descendant, who wanted to see him, and raised a whole army.
I know nothing like this--it is good.
13. A Morayshire Legend of a Castle that sunk into the earth, and is still to be seen at the bottom of a lake.
This has many foreign relations. The origin of the tradition is perhaps to be traced to the destruction of the cities of the plain.
14. The Rotterdam.
A large ship sunk with the crew still alive. The Folge Fond, in Norway, is said to cover seven parishes which were overwhelmed for their wickedness, by the snow and ice. The church bells may still be heard ringing under the ice, and the people will some day be restored to the world.--J. F. C., 1857.
15. A Legend of Loch Spynie.
A Warlock and his Coachman driving over the ice--Two Crows on the carriage--I do not know this one.
16. The Three Hunters and their Brides.
Vide Lady of the Lake, which contains this legend in an improved shape.
17. The Tailor and the Skeleton.
Common in Argyllshire and the Isle of Man.
18. The Wakes of Loch Manaar--a talisman. Clach Bhuaidh.
19. The Tree Witness.
20. The Jewel of Ben Stack.
Common in Argyllshire.
21. The Erse version of Jack the Giant Killer.
It resembles the Norse--It is the best of the collection.
22. Superstitions--Instance of:--Gamekeeper.
23. The Sea, and drowned and murdered people.
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No.
24. Wraith choosing boards for a dying man.
25. Death Struggle.
26. Passing, and funeral bell.
27. Cathedrals expected to fall.
28. Babes.
29., 30. Babes.
31. Spirits of friends haunting a house looked on as a reason for remaining in the place.
32. The lost Wedding Ring--The Witch--The Demon--The Escape.
A Legend which is unlike any I know, and good.
33. Honeysuckle--Charm against evil.
34. Evil eye, and those who suffer from it.
35. Cure of Evil eye--by boiling stones in water--still prevalent.
36. Verses of Scripture as charms.
In Iceland it is a custom to open the Bible by chance to find out the result of some undertaking. I tried it, and it came right, in 1861.
37., 38., 39. Instances of Voghes being seen. Fuath is the Gaelic word.
These three have no story; they are but appearances believed in.
40. Phantom armies commonly seen.
41. Snow never lies on the ground where the blood of a murdered woman was spilt.
42. The Lord's Prayer a protection against evil.
43. Magical disappearance of a Witch.
44. The Holy Virgin and the Black Beetle.
This is a very good Legend, and is unknown to me; it is in Irish.
p. 382
No.
45. A Rhyme.
46. Saint Gilbert and the Dragon.
Something like St. George and the Dragon; and like the Sea Maiden, but not so good.
47. The Boar of Ben Laighal. Diarmaid and Grainne.
48. Things Lucky and Unlucky.
49. The Golden Horse of Loch na Gillie. EACH UISGE.
Widely spread.
50. The Otter King-common in Argyllshire.
51. Mr. Alexander Fraser's Pilgrimage.
Good; contains the incident of the ring.
52. Salamander.
53. The Hour and the Man.
54. Poetical Sayings.
55. The Demon Angler--an appearance.
56. The Herds of Sallochie.
A Kelpie--well known in books, and widely spread.
57. The Death of Sweno.
This is probably the tradition of a fact in the history of Norse invasions--I know nothing quite like it.
58. The Dun Otter, called Doar-chu.
59. Why the Wolf is stumpy tailed.
Well known in Norway and in Central Africa in various shapes.
60. The Bogie Roschan.
A kind of Brownie well known all over Germany and elsewhere, though I know nothing quite like this.
61. The Dragon of Loch Corrie Mor.
62. The Dragons of Loch Merkland.
63. The Stupid Boy.
This is known in Ross and in Argyllshire. It is one of the Highland stories, and, so far as I know, has never been published. There is more of it which should not be inquired for. I have two Gaelic versions, got elsewhere.
p. 383
No.
64. The Unjust Sentence.
Very good. It has a resemblance to a tale in the Arabian Nights, but I do not think it is taken from that source.
65. Lauchlin, Dhumor, and the Witch.
I know nothing quite like this.
66. The Sleeping Giants.
This is known all over the United Kingdom, in all manner of shapes. It has come to me from four or five quarters, and this differs from the rest.
67. The Giant in Barra.
This also is well known, and belongs to British Mythology.
68. The Vaugh, the Poacher, and the Dog. (FUATH).
I have something like this from Barra.
69. The Vaugh of the Laxford.
70. Something about a Mermaid.
This is common in Germany, in Ireland, in Islay, and elsewhere, in all sorts of shapes. Some noble family, I forget which, claims to be descended from the mermaid. Thomas the Rhymer is said to have been the son of the mermaid.
71. The Caillach Mhor of Clibreck.
This tale looks very like a recollection of the Lapps and their deer.
72. The Mhor Bhain.
This is probably a tradition of a Witch trial.
73. Fach Mor.
This is one of the Gaelic Legends which seem to have been almost forgotten on the east coast of Scotland, and which are well known in the west. It is an extraordinary jumble of everything,--King Arthur, Thor in Norse Mythology, Theseus, Hercules, Circe, and the Bible, may all be traced; and yet, when this tale was told, it probably contained traits which proved it to be a native of Sutherland, as those which come from the Islands prove themselves to be islanders. There are plenty of these tales in Gaelic MSS.; their origin is worth searching out.
74. The Callach Mhor. Vol. II., XXVII.
75. A Badenoch Fairy.
This is told in Norway; I remember to have read it in a Norse book, at a station, while waiting for horses.
p. 384
No.
76. The Assyindach's Mistakes Vol. II., XLVIII.
77. The Fox and the Wrens Vol. I., XVIIa.
78. The Fox and the Fox-hunter Vol. I., XVIIa.
79. The Great White Snake Vol. II., XLVII.
80. The Vougha's Charcoal Vol. II., XXXVII.
81 and 82. Holy Wells . . . . Vol. H., XXXIII.
83 and 84. Of Banshees . . . Vol. II., XXXVIII.
85. The Vaugh of Moulin na Fougha Vol. II., XXXVIII.
86. The Brolachan . . . . . Vol. II., XXXVIII.
87. The Herds of Glen Oar Vol. I., Introduction.
88. Farquar the Physician Vol. II., XLVII.
A version of this is given in Chambers' Nursery Rhymes; it is told in Islay, well known in Mull. The man was Beaton, physician to a Scotch king, I think James VI. His MSS. are preserved in the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh. The story is in Norway, in an old MS., and may be traced in the story of Æsculapius.
89. The Fox and the Cock and Hen Vol. I., XVIIa.
90. The Fox and the Goose Vol. I., XVIIa.
91. The Last Giant.
This is like a published tale found in Ireland; like two versions heard in Uist by J. F. C., and one written down in Barra. It is probably founded on the MS. of the dialogue of Ossian and St. Patrick, or on something still older. The birds are generally deer. The word which means Black Bird in Gaelic may also mean Black Elk.
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STORIES FROM DONALD MUNRO, Esq., CHAMBERLAYNE OF LEWIS.
92. A Champion. (Popular History.)
93. Water Horses. EICH UISGE.
94. Gruagach. BROWNIE.
95. A Supernatural Woman.
96. Water Horse.
Same as Miss M‘Leod's story from Skye.
p. 385
No.
FROM JOHN CAMPBELL, ESQ. OF KILBERRY.
97. Water Horses and Bogles. (Good.)
98. The Boobrie. Large bird.
99. Boobrie as Water-Horse.
Somewhat like the ploughing of the Asa, Norse Mythology.
100. Boobrie as Water-Bull.
Letter from Kilberry. Another story from the same collector is printed.
101. Donald MacRae and the Witch.
Letter from Kilberry.
102. Letter from URQUHART,--Large Fish.
103. " " " Large Skate (Craken).
104. " " " Large Salmon.
105. " " " Large Cormorant.
106. Mr. B------ and the Water-Horse. True, J. F. C.
107. Letter from Hector Fraser to Hector Urquhart.
Gruagach--Water-horse--Gaelic Stories--Fairies.
FROM THE REV. THOMAS PATTIESON. ANOTHER OF HIS STORIES IS PRINTED.
108. Flying Ladies from the Isle of Youth.
109. Myself.
Shortened and printed. Ditto.
110. The Mermaid Bride.
This in various shapes is well known; the latter part resembles the story of the Wizard of Alderley.
111. The Glasgow Merchant.
A kind of Whittington story; I have it in many shapes.
112. Letter from HUGH M‘LEAN--Kilchamuig, Tarbert--The Mermaid.
113. The Mermaid. (Ossianic English.)
p. 386
FROM HUGH MACCOLL, GARDENER AT CRAIGFORTH.
No.
114. Ossian. (Genuine Legend.)
115. The Old Man and the Sleepy Giants.
Common. Compare No. 110 and Alderley Story.
116. Fionn's Dogs. (Ossianic, genuine.)
117. Fionn's Dogs. (Ossianic, genuine.)
118. The Packman and the Laird. (Witchcraft.) See Gaelic, 275.
119. Cairn Dearg. (Popular History--Good.)
120. The Brownie, and the Laird of Loch Awe, and the Letter.
121. The Witch and the Horse Hair Rope.
______
122. Stories from a Clergyman.
Got from E. Campbell of Ardpatrich, Enchanted Piper.--Common.
123. Nuts and Ghost.
Same as the Norse story of Goosey Grizzle. A version told by a tinker in London.
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124. Mermaid.
From THOMAS MACDONALD, Gamekeeper, Dunrobin, Sutherland. Another of his stories is printed.
125. Stories from JOHN ROSS, Lord Lovat's Forester.
(Spelling copied--Ghost.)
126. The Man that the Cow ate.
______
FROM THE MINISTER OF NORTH RONALDSHAY.
127. Orcadian Superstitions.
128. Saining and Ceremonies at Births.
129. Crossing the Path.
p. 387
No.
130. Crows.
131. Crows.
132. Frogs. 133. Witch and Fisherman. 134. Milk.
135. Fowl Buried Alive. 136. Bible and Corpse.
137. Bible and Key.
138. Scotch Proverbs, 46 in number.
139 to 166. From Lady C------ C------, mostly from memory.
149. Black Bull o' Norway.
Referred to in a letter.
150. Letter from the Rev. Mr. Anderson.
163. Brownie.
161. Scotch Tunes.
165. French Anecdote.
166. The Mantle Jo.
A pretty child's song, old, popular; has relatives in Norse, Gaelic, and Chinese.
" Letter from Lady C------, 22nd June, 1859.
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167. A regular heroic Highland play, written by John Clerk, gamekeeper to the Duke of Argyll, at Roseneath. I have never heard a tale so told by an old man, but they are very dramatic, and this is probably an old sgeulachd dramatized by a gamekeeper. If John Clerk had been Shakespear, this would have become a play; if MacPherson, it would have taken the form of an Epic poem. It is curious as showing the growth of a popular tale.
168. Written from memory by J. F. C., Tailor and Bogle.
This is common to the Isle of Man, etc.
169. MacArthur's Head.
170. Great Cave at Bolsa.
A piper goes with a dog to explore a large cave. The dog comes out at a great distance, with the hair rubbed or singed off his body. The piper is heard playing, but never reappears. Commonly told of caves and underground passages in the Scilly Isles, South of Ireland, Cantyre, Islay, East Lothian. In short, wherever there is a cave and a Celtic population. ? Æneas and the Sybil, and Cerberus, Cupid and Psyche, etc., etc.
p. 388
No.
171. MacPharlan's Geese.
172. Holy Wells and Frog Story. (Printed.)
173. Alderley Play regularly acted every Christmas.
174. Water Horse.
Got in Skye.
175. The Ghostly Duel.
Got in Skye.
176 and 177. Gaelic.
178 to 185. A lot of Anecdotes from AIRTH, the Duke of Argyll's Messenger, when he was Postmaster-General.
This is a tall strapping Highlander from the east country, a capital fisherman.
186 to 200. Written from Memory by J. F. Campbell, January 1858.
186. Black Kitchen Jack.
Heard as a child. (Popular novel.)
187. The Man on Laggan Sand.
Like Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I have several other versions of it.
188. A Gloss upon Bird Language.
189. Dr. Beaton and the Snake.
From memory; see Sutherland story which was got after this had been written down. (See No. 88.)
190. Sun, and Rain, and Fairies.
191. The Woman and the Lobster. (Popular Wit.)
192. The Lassie and the Skull.
See No. I., Sutherland Collection.
193. Sgrioch na Caillich--Jura legend.
194. Jura Fleas.
195. The great Eel in Lossit Lake. Very common belief.
196. A Letter, 3rd December, 1842.
p. 389
No.
197. A Letter and Poem in English on Corry Bhreacan.
198. The Legend of Slochd Mhaol Dori.
199. The Fisherman and the Saint. Common in Ireland.
200. The Princess Eila.
201. Anecdote. 202. Dream. 203. Rousseau's Dream. 204. Saying.
(MRS. M‘TAVISH)
205. The White Pet Sheep.
206. Old Saw. (From memory, J. F. C.)
206a. The King of Lochlin. (From memory, see 125. J. F. C.)
207. A New Year's Rhyme. (Ditto.)
Mrs. M‘Tavish, from 198 to 248.
208. Proverbs. 209. Weather.
210. Dan an Dearg.
211. Translation of the Song.
212. Diarmid. (Story.)
212a. Fairies--Dunbhuilg. Very widely spread.
213. Fairies Reaping.
214. Fairies Stealing People.
215. Fairies.
215a. Fairies--Gaolin Castle.
216. The King's Children.
A very good version of the story in "Leabhar nan Cnoc."
217. The Man with the Loose Gray Coat.
A very good story, something like the story of Murdoch M‘Brian.
218. Dunbhuilg Fairies.
219. John of the Little Head.
p. 390
No.
220. Another Version of the Same.
(See the Man on Laggan Sand.)
221. Maol Dori.
(See Ante, 198.)
222. The Piper in the Cave.
This is a curious story, because it is so widely spread in Celtic districts of the Kingdom. I have heard it in the Scilly Islands, in Ireland, and elsewhere.
223. St. Patrick and the Snakes.
224. Texa carried from Ireland by a Giantess.
225. Some account of Breacan, Prince of Norway. How be killed a dragon which infested Islay; all the localities are pointed out.
226. Another story of the same. How he was drowned in Corrie Bhreacan.
I have known these two myself from childhood.
227. Story of Eila.
228. Gloss upon Bird Language.
229. Proverb.
230. Remarks on Weather.
(Spelling due in some degree to the Copyist.)
231. Weather Sayings.
232, Ditto.
233. Ditto. 234. Ditto. 235. Ditto. 236. Ditto. 237. Ditto. 238. Ditto.
239. The Raven. 240. The Weather.
241. Large Eel (See 195). 242. Cuckoo.
243. Dr. Beaton. (See 18S.)
244 and 245. Two Stories of the same Personage.
246. Story of the Old Woman who slid down the Hills of Jura.
p. 391
No.
247. Song about the same.
248. Proverbs, 4.
249 to 273. Letter from Minister of North Ronaldshay, Orkney, and Stories.
250. The Sealchies.
This is a widely spread tradition all over the Islands. John Rochfort gave it to me, and said he had got it from a gamekeeper in Harris. I think it is in Grant Stewart's Book, and it is clearly the same as the mermaid stories of which I have many.
251. Sealchie Song.
252. Letter from the Minister.
253. Fairies.
254. Bogles.
255. The Smith of Barrigar and Tangie.
256. More about Tangie.
This, and 250, may fit in with the Islay story of the man who was begotten by a seal, which ears upon a German romance.
257. Mysterious Light.
259. Fairies.
260. Selkie Sherry.
261. Superstitions. 262. Large Fish. 263, 264. Witches, or Evil Eye. 265. Dog Howling.
266. Courtship "langer." 267. Courtship.
268. Evil Spirit.
(Curious--well told.)
269. Exposing Children.
270. Charms, Gun, etc.
271. Old Customs at Burials.
272. Witchcraft.
A long story.
273. Note on the MSS. and Glossary of Curious Words.
p. 392
No.
274. Dunbhuilg Fairies.
Story from Hugh Maclean, got by James Campbell of Ardpatrick, Argyllshire.
STORIES FROM GAIRLOCH. GOT BY O. H. MACKENZIE.
275. The Soldier.
A version of Bolgam Mor. Very like Grimm.
276. Story about a Minister.
277. Story of a Weaver.
278. Seun (a poem).
(The spelling belongs to the scribe).
279. The Wife of Laggan.
(See Grant Stewart).
280. Fairy Tale.
281. Letter from E. Campbell.,
STORIES FROM A CLERGYMAN IN, ARGYLLSHIRE.
282. Fairies.
283. The Dead rising and grinning.
BADENOCH.
STORIES FROM A CLERGYMAN. GOT THROUGH THE HON. T. BRUCE.
284. Fairies. These are well told, genuine and popular.
285. Ditto.
286. Ditto.
287. Ditto.
288. Ditto.
289. Ditto.
290. Ditto.
291. Ditto.
292. Letter from A. Campbell of Blythswood, sending a Legend.
p. 393
No.
293. Legend of St. Convallus.
From the Breviary of Aberdeen.
294. Letter from CHARLES EDWARD upon the Ossianic controversy.
295, The Brownie.
A Poem from Galloway.
JOURNALS AND STORIES COLLECTED BY J. F. CAMPBELL in 1859 AND 1860.
296. Cath nan Eun--Easter, 1859--Ferry Boat, Loch Fyne.
297. A lot of Miscellaneous Notes used in the Introduction.
298. The Tinker-April 25th.
Incantation--very good.
299. Sheen Billy.
From the old Tinker.
300. The Contradictory Wife. (Popular novel.)
John Mackenzie.
301. Party at the Miller's House, Inverary.
302. "Conall." (Gillies.)
303. The Uruisg and Farmer's Daughter.
This is almost the same as a story in Straparola. It is also in some old English jest book. I believe it is a Lapp story. It is witty, and unfit for publication now-a-days.
304. Smeuran dubha 's an Fhaoilteach. (Tinker.) Good--long.
305. The Fox. (Tinker.) Good--long.
306. The Beetle. (Mackenzie.)
This is a very curious story, in which a king's son slays a great beetle, DAOL, in an island, and a bit of the skin sticks on his hand. No other version got, 1862.
307. The Bee. (Tinker.) Good, but cannot be published.
p. 394
No.
Old Mary MacVicar, Inverary.
308. Fraoch. Poem--fragment.
309. The Duke of Argyll's Dairy Maid and Wild Calf.
(Popular History.)
310. Rob Roy--Anecdotes of him. Ditto.
311. The Eagle and Child.
Same as the legend of the Stanly Crest.
The Rev. Mr. MacCalman.
312. MacPherson and Ossian.
Summer Trip to the Long Island.
313. The Cow's legs and Col Kitto.
314. The Three Questions.
315. The Smith's Apprentice--Master Thief.
316. Popular History.
317. Old Saying of Birds.
318. Fairy Eggs--Ossian's Poems--Appearance of the Country.
31 9. The Piper's Story.
320. The Dunbhuilg Story.
321. The Men Dancing in a Hill.
322. The Strong Miller.
323. The Gael came from Eirinn.
324. Clan Donald came from Eirinn.
325. Country possessed by the Lochliners.
326. Old MacPhie--Conal Gulban.
327. Morag a' chota bhàin.
328. Mother's Blessing.
329. The Widow's Son the Hunter.
p. 395
No.
330. Note on the Spread of Stories.
331. The Slim-Waisted Giant. Same as "Red Etin."
332. Murachag and Mionachag.
333. Rann Coluinn.
334. Old Building in Uist.
335. Popular History.
From a relation of Clanronald, a herd.
337. Patrick Smith.
338. The Fisherman.
(Written by MacLean afterwards.)
339. Sailor and Sweetheart.
(Popular romance, written by MacLean afterwards.)
340. Ossianic Poem.
(Ditto.)
341. Polchar Inn and Smith's Cottage.
342. A Song got.
343. The Maiden without hands.
A very good version-differs from Grimm.
344. Monday, Sept. 5th, 1859.
Dance--Reciters--Hear of Old MacPhie.
345. Young Scottish Lord.
346. Mermaid. Same as Urquhart's Version nearly.
347. Naked Sword Incident. Common.
348. The Collier's Son.
Origin of the story "MacPhie." Common.
349. The Widow's Son. Common.
350. MacPhie's Cottage.
351. The Three Wise Men. Donald MacIntyre, Benbecula.
352. The Inheritance. " " "
353. Conal Gulbanach. " " "
354. Ossianic Poem. " " "
(Written by M‘Lean and Torrie afterwards.)
p. 396
No.
No regular journal was kept after. Walked back to Lochmaddy--drove to the Sound of Harris where I found a lady from Wapping domiciled with her husband, a sailor--sailed to Harris--walked in two days to Stornoway--found the people more sophisticated, more used to strangers, and shyer of me--sailed to Gairloch--stayed there for a few days at the inn; notes of the proceedings are in the introduction--made my way to Dingwall--visited friends, and came south to the work of the Lighthouse Commission.
Trip to the Isle of Man, April, 1860.--Language.
355. The three legs of Man, etc., etc.
Fires, etc.
356. Drift Log. The Glashan.
357. Glashans. The Fluke.
The most of this is worked into the introduction to West Highland Tales.
358.-366.
Eight stories told by William and Soloman Johns, two gipsy tinkers picked up in London. They came to the office after hours, and were treated to beer and tobacco. Present--the author of Norse Tales. They were rather hard to start, but when once set agoing they were fluent. One brother was very proud of the other, who plays the fiddle by ear, and is commonly sent for to wakes, where he entertains the company with stories. He gave us, 1. A ghost, which appeared to himself. Finding that he was on the wrong track, told him a popular tale which I had got from another tinker in London, "The Cutler and Tinker." Got 2. "The lad and the dancing pigs." This is the same as the "Mouse and Bee," and has something of Hacon Grizzlebeard. A version of it was told to me by Donald MacPhie in South Uist. It is one of the few indecent stories which I have p. 397 heard in the Highlands. There are adventures with a horse, a lion, and a fox, which the London tinker had not got. It savours of the wit which is to be found in Straparola.
3. A sailor and others, by the help of a magic blackthorn stick, go to three castles under ground, copper, silver, and gold, and win three princesses. Same as, "the king of Lochlin's daughters," and "the knight of Grianaig," and several stories in Norse Tales and Grimm.
4. "The five hunchbacks." This story was quite new to both of us, but a version of it was subsequently found in a book of Cruickshank's. The tinker's version was much better.
5. A long and very well told story of a Jew, in which there figured a magic strap, hat, etc., same as Big and Little Peter, Eoghan Iuarach; a story in Straparola, etc.
6. The art of doctoring--dirty wit.
7. Poor student and black man travel--dig up dead woman--make fire in church--steal sheep--clerk--parson--take black man for fiend and bolt. Very well told. See Goosey Grizzle and several Gaelic versions.
8. Poor student, parson, and man, with cat, which was the fiend in disguise. Well told; new to both us.
The men said that they knew a great many more; that they could neither read nor write; that they picked these up at wakes and other meetings, where such tales are commonly told in England now.
368. A lot of notes collected in September, 1860, during a trip to Glenquoich, Skye, Uist, Barra, etc.
p. 398
No.
Many of these are preserved as notes in an interleaved copy of West Highland Tales (vols. i. ii.) Notes of a dinner given at Inverary to Dewar, Macnair, Gillies, Mackenzie, The Miller, The Tinker, and others (Mr. Robertson present); the whole party told stories, and parted quietly and soberly at midnight exactly, on Saturday night. Under this number are included some fifty or sixty long stories, some of which were not written down.
369. Letter from Mr. Fraser of Mauld, August 2, 1861, mentioning a lad who knows a great many stories, 1. Magnus MacRigh na Albain (a long one). 2. An t-Uirsgeul Mor (a very long one), of this I have several versions. 3. Finn M‘Cuile (probably a Fenian legend). 4. Caileach Uileam dean suidhe (a short one), probably a story which I know well, about William sit down, which is in Norse in another shape.
370. Collection sent by the Rev. THOMAS PATTIESON, (letter).
371. 1. From a native of Islay who lives in Glasgow, a story of a man who is beset by a female water-spirit. This is curious, because it was told me by an Irish carman at Waterford. The locality and some details altered. A stallion overcame the Islay sprite, and a big dog finished her. Good.
372. A story of fairies stealing a man's whisky, and the man himself. A very good fairy tale.
373. Glenastil water-horses ridden to market. A good instance of this popular belief.
p. 399
No.
374. A dialogue between a woman and a fairy in Gaelic, like the spirit of many popular tales. Ready answers.
375. Letter, December 24, 1860, about LACHLAN MACNEIL, who told a number of capital stories; he is a shoemaker and fiddler, and lives in Paisley.
376. A Fairy Changeling, very well told, traced back for three generations.
377. Ard na h-uamh loch--Water-horses--dun coloured.--ridden to market--torn to pieces by the rest on his return. Water bulls, said to be now extinct, but to have existed long ago.
378. See 371.
379. Iain Ciar, Dun John of Dunolly. Popular history; a very good legend, of a very old date. The hero is outlawed, and gains his pardon by bringing the head of a robber from Ireland to London to the king. The narrator added that in these days the kings lived a good deal at York, and he was not sure if the head went to London or to York.
380. Sgeul Alastair Arranach, A bit of popular history, wild and well told.
381. A Legend of the Island in the Rhinns of Islay.
382. Supernatural history, water-bulls, etc, as described by the people.
383. Bull fights water-horses. Nearly the same as a story got from Kilberry.
384. The origin of the name Cnoc Angil (in Islay). The Feinne appear in this, and an old woman who runs off with their arms.
p. 400
No.
385. Appearance of a mysterious personage on Laggan Sand.
386. A legend of a stream near Bowmore. A goblin appears to some wrecked sailors as a pig, a wolf, an old woman, and a ball of fire (letter, January 28, 1861).
387. Collection sent December 3, 1860. 1. Taoghairm; a man raises the fiend and challenges all that are dead or alive in the sea to fight. He is saved by women who are making Tein' éigin, forced fire.
388. The legend which is told of Cawdor Castle: A man builds his house where an ass's tether breaks, and prospers; he goes to a bridge, and is there told that where the peg of the ass's tether is fixed there is a pot of gold. The old thorn tree where the man stopped stands in a cellar at Cawdor Castle. In this the man's name is "Coinneach bràth na bràthin," and the place is not named.
389. A shoemaker flies to London from Coleraine. (I don't know this legend).
390. The Doideag Mhuileach's daughter, Mogan Dubh and her son. A legend of witchcraft and flying through the air to steal. (Very popular).
391. A woman and a frog. There is something like this in the Mabinogion told of a mouse, but the Welsh story is very long.
392. A smuggler sees a lot of little people about as big as a bottle, with teeth as long as his finger. Fairies? or Lusbirdean.
p. 401
No.
393 to 402. A lot of stories got from a carman in Waterford in 1861, included--1. The water-cow and her progeny. 2. The Bansithe, which the narrator "had seen and heard." 3. A version of the man who travelled to learn shivering. 4. A haunted tower. 5. Treasure finding. 6. A spirit haunting a road and asking for a ride. 7. A lake spirit. 8. The man and dog in the subterranean passage, and many others were alluded to. It was evident that the Irish peasantry had the very same legends as the Scotch, and these were told in a different, and very characteristic way.
It is to be hoped that some Irishman will collect and publish the Irish popular tales. If it be honestly and faithfully done it will be the most amusing collection of all; but if any one polishes the language of Irish peasants, he will most certainly spoil it.
I have a lot of notes scattered in note-books which would increase this number considerably. And I have heard stories told in Devonshire, near London, in Cheshire, in Ireland, in Norway, Sweden, and France. But nowhere have I found popular tales so well preserved, or in such great abundance. as in the western coasts and islands of Scotland. I have a great many notes of stories scattered through some hundreds of letters, which are not included in this list.
February 1861--Other Stories have been received.
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