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Story entitled 'Dealan De' [Yellow Butterfly], 30 January 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/83

Scope and Contents

Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Dealan De' [Dealan-DèYellow Butterfly]. MacRury tells how there are many kinds of Dealan-Dè but this particular kind is uncommon and did not exist until Christ had risen from the dead. They all came out of Christ's tomb. He gives a lengthy, romantic physical description of the butterfly and tells how they are never seen around wrong-doers or where there is bad language. It is good luck for the butterfly to be seen about a corpse as it indicates that the soul of the deceased is in heaven. He states that he has heard of a Dealan-Dè being seen in Norway and in Valpariso in South America, indicating it can withstand both cold and heat. The text has been scored through in pencil as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates

  • Creation: 30 January 1895

Language of Materials

Gaelic

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 114 folios ; 14 x 20 cm

Physical Location

5.07

Physical Location

folio 69r, line 1 to folio 72r, line 15

Bibliography

Carmichael, Alexander, Carmina Gadelica, vol. II (Edinburgh, 1941), pp. 267-268
Carmichael, Alexander, Carmina Gadelica, vol. IV (Edinburgh, 1941), pp. 4-5

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
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