An old woman rescued a prince from enchantment and got back...

Original Track ID

SA1983.46.1+47.1

Original Tape ID

SA1983.046

Summary

An old woman rescued a prince from enchantment and got back the king's stolen ring.

Stanley Robertson introduces a story told to him by his mother on a bus journey, which came back to his mind through a process of association with that day. Aal [old] Mighty was an old woman who lived alone. Various details are told to show her popularity and power. One day she was cutting peats when she came across a big jug. Inside was Prince Jack, about three feet tall. Jack explained that he had been promised a golden-haired princess in marriage, but the king had repeatedly changed his mind, because valuable items went missing in the castle and each time they were found in Jack's room. The last thing to go missing was the king's stone ring, without which he couldn't rule his land in peace. [Break to turn tape.] It wasn't found, and Jack was banished. Jack challenged the Black Art, knowing he was the real thief. But the Black Art charmed and entertained Jack, who then found himself in the jug.

Aal Mighty told Jack to drink her herbal wine for a month, and he would return to his own size. Meanwhile she got herself taken on as a cook at the Black Art's castle and used white magic to sing everybody to sleep. She retrieved the ring just in time. The Black Art was placed in the highest turret of the king's castle. To escape, he needed a rope made of the hair of the king's ten maiden daughters. His servant cut off their plaits in the night and made a rope, but it broke, and the Black Art fell to his death. The rope had snapped at the plait of the golden-haired princess, meaning that she wasn't a maiden. [Break to change tape.] Jack confessed that they had been secretly married, to prevent the princess being married to the Black Art. Aal Mighty took no reward for herself, but asked for a hall and a school for her village.

The only change Stanley has made to the story is to add the death of the Black Art. Jack has to prove himself in the story, but Aal Mighty is the real hero. Barbara McDermitt comments on this expansion of the role of the helper, and they discuss the story and the characters.

Recording Location

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good