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Betsy Whyte's memories of her mother in connection with stor...

Date 19 September 1976
Track ID 78071
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1976.272.A3

Original Tape ID

SA1976.272

Summary

Betsy Whyte's memories of her mother in connection with storytelling.

When she is telling stories, what goes through Betsy Whyte's mind is the memory of her mother. She used to go through her mother's hair for head lice, with a story as the reward. Travellers would be ashamed to tell this now, but Betsy has seen the same thing in Dundee: women sitting on the stairs with their children's heads in their laps. Betsy and her sister Alice each had their favourite stories, some of which Betsy names. Betsy's mother told many stories about animals and about fairies. Betsy heard her mother's stories many times, as other children also came in to hear them, and then they were told to the grandchildren. Betsy's mother believed the story of the changeling to be true and remembered it happening, though this could have been a trick of a child's mind.

Item Notes

There are several recordings on other tapes of Betsy Whyte telling the story of how her grandmother drove away a changeling, witnessed by Betsy's mother as a child of about eight.

Language

Scots

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good