One magically-conceived brother rescued another from a witch...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1975.107
Original Tape ID
Summary
One magically-conceived brother rescued another from a witch and both found wives; discussion of story transmission.
A childless queen was given trout and told not to let anybody else eat any. However, the cook tasted some. The queen and the cook both had baby boys the next day. They were called Friday and Saturday and were brought up as brothers. Friday pursued a white hare. He got lost, and took shelter in a house that was empty apart from the animals that were kept inside in a cray [pen]. An old witch came to the door. She would not come in for fear of his horse, his hawk and his hound, and asked him to tie them up with her hairs. She allowed him to kill two pigs to eat but she took most of the meat [break to turn tape]. They fought over the last piece, and his animals couldn't help him. She hit him with her Rod of Enchantment and turned him to stone.
Saturday went to look for his brother. He chased the hare and reached the same cottage, but only pretended to tie up his animals, so they were able to kill the witch. Saturday got her Rod of Enchantment and restored his brother and others who had been turned to stone. Amongst them were two princesses, who went back home with the brothers, and they all lived happily.
There is some conversation about people taking or not taking an interest in this type of story. Betsy Whyte heard stories from her mother's side of the family and Bryce Whyte heard the same kind of stories. Their children liked to hear them, but their grandchildren look down on this kind of story. Bryce recalls hearing stories at the potato harvest when he was young; the work was easier then and people gathered round a fire when they had finished their drills. Betsy jokes that the children used to finish her work for her so that she would tell a story. Jeannie Thomson also told stories in the field.
Recording Location
County - Angus
Parish - Montrose
Village/Place - Montrose
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good