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Robbed of his kingdom but provided with magic wisdom, Jack o...

Date 26 March 1983
Track ID 70060
Part 1
Part 2

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1983.49.1

Original Tape ID

SA1983.049

Summary

Robbed of his kingdom but provided with magic wisdom, Jack obtained three items needed to reclaim the kingdom.

Stanley Robertson introduces a story that he calls 'Jack and the Golden Key'. Jack, a prince, was about to reach the age of twenty-one, when he would be proclaimed heir. The appropriate documents were kept in a box locked with a golden fairy key. Jack's parents were murdered by his evil Uncle Eric, who took over the throne as guardian. However, the fairies had stolen back the key, so that Eric could not falsify the succession. Jack fled to the safety of his old nurse, who told him that he must go around the world three times to find three ingredients.

Jack gave a cocksie-cousie [piggyback] to an old man, who wouldn't get off until Jack tried to drown him. He gave Jack magic hazelnuts to lend him wisdom. Jack sailed to an island of golden turkeys where he used his wisdom to help the king and got the item he needed, and also a golden turkey. On the next island, he again helped the king. [Break to turn tape.] Jack got his second ingredient. On a third island he had another adventure and got the third ingredient. With the ingredients the nurse made a new key. Jack defeated and killed Eric and claimed his kingship. The turkey turned into a beautiful princess; Jack married her and they lived happily ever after.

This is typical of the stories that Stanley's family told, and which come back to him when some thread of association leads to them. Stanley comments on the story. In each island Jack had to use his wisdom to bridge a generation gap.

Item Notes

This is a story that Barbara McDermitt prompted for on tape SA1983.047. With 'cocksie-cousie', cf. 'cockerdecosie', 'cockertie-hooie', etc.

See:
'The Scottish National Dictionary' (available online, [[http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/]], accessed 7 November 2009)

Recording Location

County - Midlothian

Parish - Penicuik

Village/Place - Silverburn

Language

English, Scots

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good