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Story about the King of Spain's daughter and MacLean of Duart, 1867

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/68

Scope and Contents

Story probably collected from Roderick MacNeil, aged 88, crofter, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay about the daughter of the King of Spain and MacLean of Duart. In the story the King of Spain's daughter has a dream about MacLean of Duart and so decides to go and find him. On arriving in Duart, Am Muile/Isle of Mull she meets him and asks him to go to Spain with her. To get rid of her he blows up the boat and then decides to get rid of his wife as well. He strands his wife on 'sgeir McLean' at Sliosmore [] expecting her to drown. Her cousin happens to her calling and takes her back to Ìle/Islay to her father. MacLean writes to Ìle and says that his daughter is unwell and unlikely to live. Her father's response is to ask that he return her body to him. MacLean travels to Islay but when he and his father-in-law sit down to dinner, MacLean is shocked to see his wife alive and he flees, pursued by armed men. He manages to escape them and returns to Duart. Sometime afterwards two youths promised each other that as soon as one heard of the other's demise that they would come to keep watch over him. Twenty years passed and one of the men returned to keep watch over his friend who had passed away and was buried on Croc Maireanteich [Cnoc --]. While keeping watch the dead came out of their graves including the King of Spain's daughter. She asked the man to return her body to her father in Spain so that she could be at peace and promised that her father would give him boxes of gold in return. Reluctantly he did as she asked and in return for the coffin containing the King of Spain's daughter's bones, the King of Spain gave the man gold and he was wealthy from then on. The King of Spain's daughter was never seen in the graveyard again. At the end of the story is a note, which reads ' See Tobar Clan[n] Bheothail in Liosmore and traditions.'

Dates

  • Creation: 1867

Language of Materials

Gaelic English

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 80r, line 2 to folio 82v, line 18

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
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