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Story and song about a water-horse, 28 October 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/125

Scope and Contents

Story and song collected from Mrs MacDonald, Gramasdall [Gramasdal/Gramsdale, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula] about a water horse. The story tells how a prince was under a spell and by night was a water-horse and by day a fairy. A farmer's daughter bore him a child, which had been conceived while she was asleep when she was tending cattle. She and her kin were very concerned about this and so she went to an old man for advice. He told her to hide the child by the cattle-fold. As she did this she heard a fairy singing a song beginning 'Tha n ceo sa bheinn bhan ceo sa bheinn, bheirinn dhut'. When the child was three years old the spell on the prince broke and he married the farmer's daughter.

Dates

  • Creation: 28 October 1870

Language of Materials

Gaelic English

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 64 folios ; 19.5 x 23 cm

Physical Location

5.07

Physical Location

folio 49r, line 1 to folio 49r, line 27

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379