The foundling son of a fisherman was trained by the King of...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1978.159
Original Tape ID
Summary
The foundling son of a fisherman was trained by the King of the Black Art, and after many adventures was restored to his father.
A fisherman and his wife brought up a baby boy that the fisherman found floating in a basket. When the boy was about twelve they agreed to let him go for a year and a day with a richly-dressed man who appeared from a ship. When the time was up the ship came back, and the boy was on deck juggling three golden spiked balls. After another year and a day he came back and was juggling seven golden spiked balls. The third time he did not return, and the fisherman set off to look for him. Following advice that he was given, he entered the castle of the King of the Black Art and demanded his son. The king told him one of twelve pigeons was his son. The fisherman picked the correct one, it changed into the boy and they left the castle together.
The boy had learned how to change his shape, and on the way home they made some money by selling him as a greyhound. Retaining the collar enabled him to come back as himself. At the next village they offered him for sale as a stallion. The King of the Black Arts in disguise persuaded the fisherman to let him try out the stallion, then rode it back to his castle and had it tied up in the stables and fed only salt beef. Eventually the stallion persuaded the groom to take him to the stream for a drink, and he escaped in the form of a salmon. The King and his sons chased him in the form of otters. After several more changes of shape, the boy took the form of a fox and bit the heads off the king and his sons in the form of cocks. He and his father went home and lived happily ever after.
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good