Story entitled 'Cat Taobh', 5 December 1884
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/272
Scope and Contents
Story entitled 'Cat Taobh' [Cataibh or Sutherland] collected from Angus MacPhail, Breascleit, Carlobhagh, Lews [Breasclate, Carlabhagh/Carloway, Eilean Leòdhais/Lewis] at Dr Morrison's house, Grassmarket, Edinburgh [Dùn Èideann] in which a sailor lands on foreign soil and meets a king who is guarded on either side by soldiers who have their swords drawn to kill rats. The sailor says that his cat will keep rats and mice away and so he brings one ashore and on seeing that he was telling the truth, the king bought the cat 'Cat-aobh'. The story goes on that there is hardly a house or shop in Sutherland which does not have a black cat above its door. MacPhail finishes his story saying he has seen '100 houses of the evicted crofters [deleted: houses] with their couples and rafters still standing as monuments of the cruelties perpetrated upon them. Strathnaver.'
Dates
- 5 December 1884
Language of Materials
Gaelic,English
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 1 notebook ; 17.5 x 10.8 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 78v, line 1 to folio 79v, line 21
- Breascleit Isle of Lewis Ross and Cromarty Scotland
- Carloway Isle of Lewis Ross and Cromarty Scotland
- Cats
- Edinburgh -- Scotland
- Emblems
- Highland Clearances
- Isle of Lewis Ross and Cromarty Scotland
- Kings and rulers
- MacPhail, Angus, c1820-1894 (crofter | Breascleit | Isle of Lewis)
- Placenames
- Strathnaver Sutherland Scotland
- Sutherland Scotland
- Tales
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
Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
is-crc@ed.ac.uk
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
is-crc@ed.ac.uk