Nighean fear an taigh mhòir agus mac bantraich a' pòsadh, a...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1968.075
Original Tape ID
Summary
The owner of the big house's daughter marries the widow's son, despite her father's efforts to come between them by sending him abroad.
When the owner of the big house discovered that his daughter, Mary, and Iain, the widow's son, were secret lovers, he schemed to come between them by sending Iain to work on one of his boats going abroad. With advice from Mary, Iain chose to take a cargo of coal to Turkey on the boat, where it was scarcer than gold dust. Before he left, Mary gave Iain money to spend on the officers and crew of the boat. By spending money on them he would win their favour.
In Turkey, Iain made a special deal with the King. He got gold dust instead of the coal. The King had a servant girl who warned Iain that the King wanted to cheat him. She helped Iain to escape on a beautiful horse, with the gold, to the boat.
The boat took Iain back to Scotland. He got ashore and, on the way home to his mother's house, helped men in a coach across a stream. They were on their way to the big house. When the men asked Iain who he was he answered them in a riddle which they did not understand. In the big house the men made fun of their helper with the beautiful horse. Mary understood that they were talking about Iain and she immediately went to the widow's house. Iain and Mary soon married. They were very happy and rich: richer now than the owner of the big house. Iain gave the horse to the King of Scotland.
The contributor introduces this story in English and tells how he heard it long ago in the cèilidh house. This is where they had their best entertainment in the winter.
Language
Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good