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A fisherman who rescued a mermaid and took her for his wife...

Date 26 April 1975
Track ID 70473
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1975.51.B2

Original Tape ID

SA1975.051

Summary

A fisherman who rescued a mermaid and took her for his wife ended up joining her in the sea.

A fisherman found a mermaid who was hurt all down her side. He took her home, in spite of the warnings of the other fishermen, and nursed her back to health. He found that the slough, her tail, came off and she was normal underneath. He hid it in a shed and they lived together and had two children. She always pined for the sea and sang sad songs. One day she found her slough and went back to the sea. The fisherman called to her from the rocks every night and she called to him, but she wouldn't come back. Eventually he gave the children to neighbours to look after and went down to the rocks and was never seen again. Fisherfolk used to say they could hear two voices calling to each other across the rocks.

Betsy Whyte's mother told this story to her when she was a child.

Recording Location

County - Angus

Parish - Montrose

Village/Place - Montrose

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good