Jack's exaggerations brought him to the attention of the kin...

Original Track ID

SA1983.45.2

Original Tape ID

SA1983.045

Summary

Jack's exaggerations brought him to the attention of the king; he was able to solve riddles to save the princess.

Stanley Robertson introduces a story that he calls 'Jack the Liar'. Jack was always exaggerating. The king got to hear about his supposed feats, and sent for him to rescue his daughter from the Black Knight by solving three riddles. The first riddle was: what is whiter than white? An old woman sent Jack to take the king's favourite white shirt. He wore it to answer the king, but denied that it was the king's. Then he admitted that he was lying, and told the king that truth was whiter than white. To show what was redder than red, he produced the king's red drawers. The answer was shame and embarrassment. Sent to find out what was blacker than black, a dead crow and a widow in black showed that the answer was death. These were the correct answers. The king got his daughter back and Jack returned a hero.

Recording Location

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good