A blacksmith and his apprentice copy a stranger who cures by...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1955.33+34
Original Tape ID
Summary
A blacksmith and his apprentice copy a stranger who cures by cutting off heads, with varying success.
A blacksmith and his apprentice were visited by a stranger, who asked to borrow their tools. The stranger put the old woman who was with him over the anvil and hit her with the hammer, and she was replaced by a beautiful princess. The blacksmith decided to try it on his wife's old horse, but killed it. Some time afterwards, the stranger came back and changed an old horse for a young one in the same way. The blacksmith tried it on his wife, and killed her. He and the apprentice both ran away.
They came across a king who was cursed with an enormous hideous head. [Break to change tape.] The blacksmith's apprentice cured him by cutting off his head, and scrubbing it in boiling water, milk and wine, before putting it back on. The blacksmith quarrelled with the apprentice over the reward, so the apprentice gave him the money and travelled on alone. The blacksmith quickly spent all the money. He came across the king's brother, who was similarly cursed. He tried to do what the apprentice had done, but killed the second king. The apprentice appeared, cured the king, and was rewarded. They went back to the smithy and found the old woman and the horse restored. They all lived happily ever after.
Recording Location
County - Perthshire
Parish - Blairgowrie
Village/Place - Blairgowrie
Language
English
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair