A man was pursued by a little woman who beat him for a year...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1978.174
Original Tape ID
Summary
A man was pursued by a little woman who beat him for a year and a day.
A shepherd's son was getting married. The drink ran out and he set off to town to get more. He met a little woman on a bridge, crying. She grabbed his napkin (handkerchief) from around his neck and started to wash it. When he returned, he became weak, and his father sent him to get the handkerchief back: if the woman wore a hole in it, it would be a hole in the young man's heart. He got the handkerchief back and took his stick to beat the woman, but she could always jouk [dodge] it.
Much later, the little woman came to the young man's door, saying that he had to fight her for a year and a day. Eventually, to escape the beatings he was getting, he set off for Canada, but she followed him onto the ship, so he came home. After the year and a day was up, he lay ill for months, but is now well, and gave the storyteller a cup of tea last time he was there.
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Poor