A girl is courted by the Devil, loses a challenge to him, an...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1979.131.B5; SA1979.132.A1
Original Tape ID
Summary
A girl is courted by the Devil, loses a challenge to him, and is turned into stone.
Stanley Robertson introduces a story that was often told amongst Travellers. Bennachie is associated with the Devil and with 'close encounters' [i.e. with aliens]. Long ago a girl in Oyne was engaged to a soldier, Sandy, who was away from home. The girl was courted by a handsome lad, who told her father that he was wealthy, and asked the girl to marry him. However, the father spotted that the lad had a cloven foot: he was the Devil. The Devil challenged the girl to a contest: if she could make 200 girdle scones before he made a road across Bennachie, she could have wealth and still marry Sandy. Before she finished, Sandy came over the hill and distracted her. The Devil turned her into a pillar of stone, which can still be seen at the foot of Bennachie, as can the Devil's Road.
In another version, the girl and the Devil have a race, but somebody ties her toes together and she loses the race.
Recording Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Aberdeen
Village/Place - Aberdeen
Item Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Oyne
Village/Place - Bennachie
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good