Folk Tales and Fairy Lore in Gaelic and English
FOLK TALES AND FAIRY LORE
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Rev. JAMES MACDOUGALL.
Folk Tales and Fairy Lore
IN GAELIC AND ENGLISH
COLLECTED FROM ORAL TRADITION
BY
Rev. James Macdougall
Sometime Minister of Duror
Author of "Craignish Tales," and "Folk and Hero Tales"
EDITED
WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
BY
Rev. GEORGE CALDER B.D.
Minister of Strathfillan
Author of "The Irish Æneid"
Honorary Member of the Caledonian Medical Society
EDINBURGH: JOHN GRANT
31 GEORGE IV. BRIDGE
1910
TO
THE CALEDONIAN MEDICAL SOCIETY,
DISTINGUISHED ALIKE
FOR PROFESSIONAL SKILL
AND
FOR HEREDITARY INTEREST IN THE HIGHLANDS,
THIS VOLUME OF HIGHLAND TRADITIONS
IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED
BY
THE EDITOR.
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
I Have pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to Mrs. MacDougall for her whole-hearted interest in the progress of the work from first to last, for transcribing the English Text, and for approving numerous minor changes in expression, which I had suggested, and thus relieving me from the sole responsibility of making those changes. It is but right to say, however, that as the work advanced through the press, I felt impelled to make the alterations in the text, and especially in the translation, much more thorough-going than I had at first contemplated.
In the Gaelic text I have endeavoured to simplify the spelling, and therefore excluded such MS. forms as daramh (dara), 'san t-seallamh ('san t-sealladh), a' deanadh (deanamh), o'n taice so (tac) p.168, romh (roimh), sid (sud). Fhalbh (p.32) remains as probably the correct form of thallaibh. The final vowel of fem. a stems has been printed in full, as also of the verbal perfects cuala, faca; and, latterly, whenever possible, the substitution of commas for letters, or words, has been avoided. Traces of the fem. a stem accusative sing. have been retained, e.g., cuir umad cirb de mo bhreacan, p.214; as also an old accusative pl. mas. o stem used as nom. chuir na feara eòlas, p.16; while other traces of the accusative mas. o stems are gus an cuala e an aon ghuth, p.138; and ach an aon, p.86.
Some combinations have been retained, which, though not strictly grammatical, are universally in use, such as—a' trusadh a cuid, p.270; ag cur bacadh, p.298; le rùn tilleadh, p.302; gun tuilleadh dàil, p.8; bharr a' bhùird-obair, p.150; do 'n bhean bhochd, p.100.
The common spelling has been adhered to in words like àiridh, cha'n, sìthe in preference to the more correct àirigh, cha n-, sìdhe; and the accent has been retained on the two short unaccented words á out of, àm time, as in MS.
Tacain, for a while, is uniformly so written in MS., cf. Stokes' Goid.2 149b.
A trace of the original neuter gender of benn is preserved, e.g., aig sàil Beinne Bhric, p.242, where the MS. has Beinn-a-Bhric.
Entirely new matter added by the Editor is enclosed in square brackets.
Unfortunately, the first three formes, up to p.48, were printed off prematurely; and therefore, while regretting numerous printers errors (the gravest of which is heared, p.15), I entreat readers to keep in view the following corrigenda:—
is i a' sìneadh. p.12.
de'n airgiod ghill, p.20.
gealltainn, p.20.
fo'n stairsnich, p.22.
cho fada is a, p.22.
na faidhreach, p.22.
is a bha e, p.26.
cha, gu'n, tugadh, p.30, 36.
bhóidich, p.40.
dhirich, p.42.
bha e a' dol, p.44.
comharraichte, p.182.
In conclusion, I beg to express my warmest thanks to friends and correspondents who have taken an interest in the work, among others to Mr. Henry Whyte, "Fionn," who looked over the sheets as they were passing through the press; to Mr. Duncan M'Isaac, who carefully read proofs of the whole book; and especially to Rev. C. M. Robertson, who, in addition to reading the proofs, has given me the benefit of his opinion on points of difficulty in the text, and has suggested several corrections. Though unable to adopt every suggestion that has been made, or to agree with everything in the book itself, I have had much pleasure in the work of editing it, and part with it in the hope that it will prove no unworthy monument to the literary memory of a highly cultured and worthy man.
BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION.
From the days of Dr. Johnson and Mr. Boswell, who speaks of Mr. Donald Macqueen as "a very learned minister in the Isle of Sky whom both Dr. Johnston and I have mentioned with regard," the lamp of learning has burnt steadily, if sometimes obscurely, among the Highland clergy. The Church of Scotland sees to it that ministers shall possess the modicum demanded by her standards. But here and there ministers of studious habits, not content with the ordinary elements of education, strike out in new directions. Too seldom has their attention been turned to Gaelic, of which the duties of their office demand an accurate knowledge and a fluent use. A whole world of poetry, tradition, superstition, anecdote, proverb, and clever repartee is familiar to the rank and file of the Highland clergy within the sphere of their labour and recreation, but this knowledge has been turned to literary account by only a few.
Mr. James MacDougall was one of those who during a long life consistently maintained the best traditions of his class. A native of Craignish, where he was born in 1833, he engaged in tutorial work and teaching before entering college. Following the usual curriculum, he was at length ordained, and became a missionary, preaching in remote glens of the West Highlands till he was presented to the Parish of Duror. The Royal Seal, bearing date 12th July, 1871, now lies before me, together with a note of charges for the same, amounting to ₤9 6s. 11d. In 1900 he was married to a daughter of Mr. Cuthbert Cowan, Ayr—a union which added much to his own happiness and to the prosperity of the Parish. He died at Duror Manse 4th September, 1906.
Mr. MacDougall possessed great literary taste, which he cultivated, and from an early period composed original poems in Gaelic and in English. His chief interest, apart from his life work, lay in books and what was destined to find a place in them. The Editor well remembers meeting him in the year 1893 on board a Loch Linnhe steamer going Oban-wards. The conversation turned on the subject of Fairy Lore, and Mr. MacDougall needed no great persuasion to recite some of his fairy stories, little thinking that while he was the collector, and, in a sense, the author of them, his hearer would become their sponsor. The appearance of his library gave one the impression that he had a love for his books. They were neither so numerous as to lie unread, nor so few as to indicate limited culture, and merely parochial interests. Mostly of value, they were handled accordingly. Here and there are marginal notes that always show penetration. The roads and lanes and hillocks of Duror, in common with other country places, had their own tales and suggestive names, the origin of which he was fond of investigating. His derivations are reasoned, and in pleasing contrast to the vagaries of popular etymology. His well known interest in all local matters led to his being consulted by the Scottish Boulder Committee, and to some correspondence with the convener, Mr. David Milne Home, LL.D.
A delightful host and companion, he drew his friends from almost every walk in life. Some of them came from far. To mention but one—the brilliant and ever-to-be-lamented Professor Strachan, whose genius and enthusiasm have done so much for Celtic studies, found himself from time to time enjoying the hospitality of Duror Manse. And the Rev. D. Macfarlane, then minister of the neighbouring Parish of Glencoe, writes—"One could not forget the exuberant welcome at Duror when we came to make a Céilidh, and the insistence which made the afternoon call a three days' visit." But whether they came from far or near, all that knew him owned the charm of his conversation, which arose in part from his manifest friendliness and courtesy, and in part from his keen observation and experience of life, ranging from the quiet of Duror to the excitement of foreign travel, from geological problems to the Welsh Revival (which he studied on the spot), from Gaelic Tales (and even riddles) to the translation of the Hymnal, to which he also put his hand, and executed some versions with credit. Besides his tales in Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition, vols. I. and III., and another tale, "The Urisk of the Corrie of Howlings," Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie, i.328, he has left no printed matter save a pamphlet on the Clan MacDougall, and some translations of Hymns. Of his MSS., the chief contents are now before the public. But a number of tales and poems, some of which the Editor had prepared for the press, are withheld in order to keep the present volume to a reasonable size.
This brief survey of an attractive and memorable life may fitly close in the words of Rev. D. Macfarlane, now minister of Kingussie, between whom and the minister of Duror there existed a strong bond of sympathy and friendship:—"Mr. MacDougall's instincts were those of the scholar and the gentleman, with a healthy love of out-door life as represented in rod and gun and dog. These were always to be found in pleasant confusion in his study. Not a sporting parson, but a parson who found in sport a real contribution to healthy-mindedness. Nor was he an ecclesiastic, though a diligent and watchful pastor, knowing his people with an intimacy that included their material prospects by land and sea, as well as their domestic and spiritual welfare. To walk through his Parish with him was to be instructed in all the social life of the people by merely listening to his friendly inquiries of old and young. His taste for Celtic studies and Folklore was of course inexplicable to the country people, especially so in a minister; yet he persevered because these studies were an intellectual stimulus to him, and because he was proud of these remnants of Celtic thought and fancy, and felt they should be preserved.
Others can appraise his work, but for me there remains the pleasant recollection of many evenings spent in Duror Manse, when folklore, legend, and story were dramatically re-told. A new tale, or the different rendering of an old one, or even an uncommon word, would be welcomed by him with almost boyish delight; for his oft-repeated regret was that he had not more methodically committed to writing the treasures of Celtic lore he had early come in contact with.
He was ever a helpful neighbour, a good friend, a stimulating companion, and the pattern of a robust and healthy religious life. Absorbed as he was in pursuits and studies off the main line of ministerial activity, he never suffered them to interfere with the claims of his profession. He was always the minister. His lot was cast in a secluded glen, while his ability and talents would have fitted him for much more important charges; but he cheerfully accepted the position, and faithfully did his day's work. To those who knew and loved him, Duror will never be the same since his vigorous and genial personality has passed for ever from it."
G.C.
Manse of Strathfillan
June, 1910
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
FOLK TALES.
FAIRY STORIES.
1. THE SOCIAL FAIRIES.
II.—SOLITARIES.
III—WATER SPRITES.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1931.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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