Story about [Diarmaid] and accompanying verse., c1866
Scope and Contents
Story probably collected from Donald MacPhee, Ìochdar, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist, about [Diarmaid] and accompanying verse beginning 'Cha do shaoil le m'athair fhein, Gur eir feola bha nam chrì'. The story tells how a king ordered all old people to be put to death and then for every man to bring his enemies, children, animals, musicians and fools to him. One poor man dug a hole in the ground and put his father in it. His father told him to follow the king's orders and so they arrived at the king's house along with everyone else. The king invited the man in and took his child and dandled him on his lap while the musicians played and the child laughed. This pleased the king. Next he asked for his animals and the man brought in his dog and the king kicked the dog and the dog and puppies fled but he caught the dog and the dog began to lick his hand. Again the king was pleased and he asked the man if he brought his enemies with him and the man brought in his wife. She turned on him for making her look after his father who had been in the ground for seven years. The king approved of his enemy and then asked for his fool. The poor man went out and opened his trousers and then came back inside urinating everywhere. The kings is happy with everything the man has done and says that he thinks that the poor man's wisdom is down to his father. The man's father was brought to the king, who looked after him well for the rest of his life. Finally, the story tells how Diarmaid's father was a Lochlannach [Viking] blacksmith Fionn's sister was his mother and how Diarmaid knew he could be healed by a drink from Fionn's palm. The majority of the text was written first in pencil and then written over in ink.
Dates
- Creation: c1866
Language of Materials
Gaelic
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 91 folios ; 20 x 16.5 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 36r, line 1 to folio 38r, line 5
Subject
- MacPhee, Donald, 1784-1868 (Person)
Creator
- From the Fonds: Carmichael, Alexander, 1832-1912 (Excise officer | folklorist and antiquarian | Edinburgh | Scotland) (Person)
- From the Fonds: Watson, William John, 1865-1948 (Professor of Celtic) (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk