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Popular Tales of the West Highlands Vol. 1
This book was especially republished to raise funds for these charities & many more...
33% of the publishers profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.
A GREAT READ FOR KIDS!
This 1st volume contains twenty-three ursgeuln (tales) plus a number of fables from the Western Highlands of Scotland. These are tales and stories in which something Fairy or magical occurs, something extraordinary--fairies, giants, dwarfs, speaking animals, or simply the remarkable stupidity of some of the characters. While something magical occurs in the tales these are the tales that were used to teach the lessons of life in Olde Scotland.
But these arent just a collection of amusing and entertaining stories. In the days before schools these are the tales that were used to teach the lessons of life. The story of MURCHAG A'S MIONACHAG, for example, is legendary among the Gaelic tales. It is the infant ladder to learning about the chain of cause and effect, and fully as sensible as any of its kind. It used to be commonly taught to children of five or six years of age, and repeated by school boys, and was often recalled by grownups in all parts of the Highlands.
So take some time out and travel back to a period before television and radio, a time when tales were passed on orally--at the drying kilns, at the communal well or in homes, where families would gather around a crackling and spitting hearth and granddad or grandma or uncle or auntie would delight and captivate the gathering with stories passed on to them from their parents and grandparents from time immemorial.
33% of the publishers profit from the sale of this book will be donated to the Princes Trust.
ABELA PUBLISHING - YESTERDAYS BOOKS raising funds for TODAYS CHARITIES
Excerpt from Popular Tales of the West Highlands Vol. 1
Chapter XVIIa. FABLES
From John Campbell, piper; and many other sources lately.
2. The fox is much troubled by fleas, and this is the way in which he gets rid of them. He hunts about till he finds a lock of wool, and then he takes it to the river, and holds it in his mouth, and so puts the end of his brush into the water, and down he goes slowly. The fleas run away from the water, and at last they all run over the fox's nose into the wool, and then the fox dips his nose under and lets the wool go off with the stream.
This is told as a fact. The place where an "old grey fellow" was seen performing this feat, was mentioned by one of my informants. The fox was seen in the sea near the Caithness hills.
3. "Tha biadh a's ceol an seo," as the fox said when he ate the pipe bag.
This saying I have known from my childhood, and the story attached to it is that the fox being hungry one day, found a bagpipe, and proceeded to eat the bag, which is generally, or was till lately, made of hide. There was still a remnant of breath in the bag, and when the fox bit it the drone gave a groan, when the fox surprised but not frightened, said:--
"Here is meat and music!"
4. From D. M. and J. Macleod, Laxford, Sutherland.
One day the fox chanced to see a fine cock and fat hen, off which he much wished to dine, but at his approach they both jumped up into a tree. He did not lose heart, but soon began to make talk with them, inviting them at last to go a little way with him. "There was no danger," he said, "nor fears of his hurting them, for there was peace between men and beasts, and among all animals." At last after much parleying the cook said to the hen, "My dear, do you not see a couple of hounds coming across the field?"
"Yes," said the hen, "and they will soon be here."
"If that is the case, it is time I should be off," said the sly fox, "for I am afraid these stupid hounds may not have heard of the peace."
And with that he took to his heels and never drew breath till he reached his den.
This fable is very well known, and is probably derived from Æsop, though the narrator did not know the fact. I give it because the authority cannot be impeached, and because equally well-known fables are found in old Chinese books, and are supposed to be common property. This may be pure tradition, though I suspect it to be derived indirectly from some book. I myself lately told the fable of the Monkey and the Cats, in Gaelic, to a highlander who was going to law; and it is impossible to be sure of the pedigree of such well-known fables.
Table of Contents for Popular Tales of the West Highlands Vol. 1
| I. THE YOUNG KING OF EASAIDH RUADH. |
| II. THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS. |
| III. THE TALE OF THE HOODIE. |
| IV. THE SEA-MAIDEN |
| V. CONALL CRA BHUIDHE |
| VI. THE TALE OF CONAL CROVI |
| VII. THE TALE OF CONNAL |
| VIII. MURCHAG A'S MIONACHAG |
| IX. THE BROWN BEAR OF THE GREEN GLEN |
| X. THE THREE SOLDIERS |
| XI. THE STORY OF THE WHITE PET. |
| XII. THE DAUGHTER OF THE SKIES. |
| XIII. THE GIRL AND THE DEAD MAN |
| XIV. THE KING WHO WISHED TO MARRY HIS DAUGHTER |
| XV. THE POOR BROTHER AND THE RICH |
| XVI. THE KING OF LOCHLIN'S THREE DAUGHTERS |
| XVII. MAOL A CHLIOBAIN |
| XVIIa. FABLES |
| XVIIb. BAILIE LUNNAIN, |
| XVIIc. THE SLIM SWARTHY CHAMPION - First Version |
| XVIIc. THE SLIM SWARTHY CHAMPION - Second Version |
| XVIId. THE TALE OF THE SHIFTY LAD, THE WIDOW'S SON |
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