A man captured a seal woman and made him his wife; she got h...

Original Track ID

SA1973.60.A7_B1

Original Tape ID

SA1973.060

Summary

A man captured a seal woman and made her his wife; she got her skin back and joined the seals again at the end of her life.

A man and woman lived with their son and daughter in a croft by the sea. Old houses had no lofts, but goods were often stored on the cross trees [rafters]. In this house, a parcel was soundly tied up in the apex of the roof. One day the boy asked his mother why she went to the sea so often by herself. She told him that she had lived among the seals, but could turn herself into a woman by taking off her skin. One day she was captured by his father, who took off her skin, and she turned into a woman. She liked him and they lived happily as man and wife.

The father eventually died, and the boy's mother was very ill. She asked the boy to open the parcel. He gave her the sealskin and she said it was time for her to go to her own folk. He went into the but end [outer room] of the house. When he came back, she was gone. He rushed out and saw a seal going down the rocks of the geo [steep inlet] where she was accustomed to sit. It waved to him, jumped into the sea, and disappeared.

Andrew Irvine heard the story from an old lady in the district when he was about twelve. She believed it absolutely. He was somewhat doubtful when he heard the word sealskin as he associated that with mermaids.

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good