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With the help of an old woman and an enchanted bird, Jack fi...

Date November 1978
Track ID 56113
Part 1
Part 2

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1978.161

Original Tape ID

SA1978.161

Summary

With the help of an old woman and an enchanted bird, Jack finds a cure for his sick father and wins a princess.

An old king had three sons, Tom, James, and Silly Jack who was the water carrier. The king was ill, and no one could cure him. An old beggarwoman told Jack about the Water of Life and gave him a whistle with which he could call her. Helped by an enchanted bird, he travelled on horseback "ower sheep's parks [fields], bullocks' parks, up mountains, down braes, through wuids, ower wee burns [streams]" until he reached the hut of the old woman's oldest sister. She lent him magic shoes to climb the Glassy Mountain and told him which way to go.

He met a golden-haired maiden, who told him to cut off her head and catch the water that would run instead of blood. He was chased by giants, but escaped by cracking a magic hazelnut given to him by the beggarwoman's sister: inside was the Cloak of Darkness. [Break to turn tape.] He had to kill the enchanted bird, and it turned into the golden-haired maiden. They went home together and the Water of Life cured the king, who built a castle nearby for Jack and his princess.

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Classification

AT551

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good