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An Tuairisgeul Mòr.

Date 1968
Track ID 107268
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1968.277.B2

Original Tape ID

SA1968.277

Summary

The Tuairisgeul Mòr.

A skipper rescued a dog from a cliff. His wife had a baby, which vanished the next day. The dog was blamed, but the skipper could not bear to kill it. A second baby was born. Everyone fell asleep. A big hand came through the wall and took the child. The dog was blamed but not killed. A third child was expected. This time, the dog was tied. When the child was born, music sent everyone to sleep, and the hand came again. The dog broke its tether and bit off one hand. When the hand was found its master understood the dog was innocent. Both set off, following a trail of blood. They took the boat to an island and the dog ran to where the Tuairisgeul Mòr lived. He saw the children there. The dog lifted a sword in its mouth and killed the Tuairisgeul Mòr. The others thought the dog was not coming back and left without him. He got the Tuairisgeul Mòr's boat and took the three children back, steering the boat with its tail.

The skipper thought after many years that the dog's head was becoming grey. He thought he might be a man under a spell. He sent for a wise man, who said he would come another day. He came and hit the dog three times on the back of its head. It became an old grey-haired man. The man told how he was hunted to be killed and how he landed where the skipper first found him.

Item Notes

The contributor learned this story from his father.

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good