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'S Fhada Bhuam Fhìn Cùl Beinn Eadarra

Date May 1954
Track ID 31811
Part 1
Part 2

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1954.44.4+45

Original Tape ID

SA1954.044

Summary

Raghnall mac Ailein Òig gets rid of a headless corpse which disappears, singing a song.

A poverty-stricken woman and her son lived in South Morar. The landowner thought she was plucking oats and sent someone to keep watch. He caught her taking a few oats and threw a sickle at her, which hit the back of her head. They said her head was hanging down on her breast. What became of the man isn't known, but the woman's spirit terrified people on the road for years.

Raghnall mac Ailein Òig said he would put a stop to her. One night he met the spirit. He caught her, asked what she was doing, and told her she must not return. She promised that, if he let her go, she wouldn't trouble any of his relatives while there was a drop of their blood in South Morar. He let her go and she disappeared singing the verse of a song, given here by the contributor.

Item Notes

Transcribed and translated in 'Tocher' 39 pp. 116-119 with the following note:

"The places named in the song are in the North of Skye, which does not fit this unusually detailed version of the story: but though we cannot identify Achatilleasaig the story is regularly associated with Morar. Raghnall mac Ailein Òig was one of the MacDonalds of Morar noted for his strength, and fits the story better than Iain Garbh, the other seventeenth-century strong man named in Campbell of Islay's account."

Recording Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - Arisaig and Moidart

Village/Place - Arisaig

Item Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - Arisaig and Moidart

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Song Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Poor