A story Belle Stewart made up for her grandson.

Original Track ID

SA1969.196.A9

Original Tape ID

SA1969.196

Summary

A story Belle Stewart made up for her grandson.

Gregor's Mammy sent him for pint of milk, but he slipped in the snow and broke it. He was standing greeting [crying], and an old woman got him another pint, and asked him to help her across the road. She asked him into her house.

"You shouldnae gae intae other hooses, ye ken, Gregor."

"No, Ma, but it was an auld wumman."

The old woman gave him sweeties. She asked about his family, and took him to the attic, which was full of toys. She said he could have them all if his granda would collect them in his car. As he ran home he saw a wee puppy lying injured in the road. He took it home in his oxter [armpit], and they looked after it for the night. They planned to take it to the police the next day. He had forgotten about the old woman in his excitement, so she came to the door, and his granda went for the toys. The old woman told them that the puppy's owner was cruel to it, so Gregor got to keep it.

Belle Stewart made up the story for her grandson Gregor, and can keep it going for hours. Kenneth Goldstein asks why she tells the story: does it have a point? does it teach something? The point is Gregor's pleasure in toys and in animals. He will ask for the story, "But dinnae say I spilt my Mammy’s milk this time."

Recording Location

Language

Scots

Genre

Story Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good