Place-name story for Sloc na Beiste, 1867
Scope and Contents
Place-name story for Sloc na Beiste [Sloc na Bèiste, Beàrnaraigh/Berneray] probably collected from Roderick MacNeil, aged 88, crofter, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay, telling how when Berneray was uninhabited, the crew of a boat came ashore for water but left behind a young man called MacGillecharra who had fallen asleep. Finding himself he went to Ciosamul [Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] and met MacNeil of Barra's wife who happened to be a MacLean and of the same kin. She gave him a wife and they returned to Berneray, where one day while MacGillecharra was far away a beast came to the house and lay down in front of the fire, terrifying MacGillecharra's wife. She told her husband about this and so the next day her husband disguised himself as his wife, put a large pot of water on the fire to boil and waited at home for the beast to appear. The beast appeared and asked the husband what his name was to which he replied 'Mise is mi fhin'. The beast observed he had male characteristics at which point MacGillecharra jumped up and threw the boiling water on him. The beast ran out screaming and met its mother who asked who had harmed them, to which the beast replied 'Mise is mi fhin'.
Dates
- Creation: 1867
Language of Materials
Gaelic
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 88 folios ; 16.6 x 19.8 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 68v, line 9 to folio 70r, line 7
Subject
- MacNeil, Roderick, c1790-1875 (Person)
- MacNeil (of Barra) (Family)
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
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Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
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