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Story about MacUistean and the fairies, September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW106/92

Scope and Contents

Story about MacUistean, Griminish, North Uist [Griminis, Uibhist a Tuath] describing how he had a cairiste and as he was passing the big fairy hill in Griminish on his way to inspect the sheep-shearing, he heard a baby crying and a fairy inviting him to come in, take a seat and he would get everything. He immediately went home where the baker was baking for the cairiste but the oven was so full that bits of dough were falling over it. She was going to pick the bits up but MacUistean stamped his foot so that the fairies, which he could see and she couldn't, could get them. when he went past the fairy hill again there was music playing and he saw a hearty old man being taken put in a clais [ditch?] replacing him for a baby. The old man began to cry and a woman went to take up the child but MacUistean stamped his foot and would not let her. In due course the fairies replaced the right baby and took the old man away. MacUistean then forbade any woman to bring a baby to the hairst [harvest] and said that she should stay at home if she could not come otherwise.

Dates

  • Creation: September 1872

Language of Materials

English Gaelic

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 117 folios ; 20 x 16.5 cm

Physical Location

5.07

Physical Location

folio 24r, line 15 to folio 25r, line 9

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
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