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Song entitled 'Oran Si' and accompanying story, 29 May 1869 and 15 June 1869

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW150/67

Scope and Contents

Song entitled 'Oran Si' [Seathan] collected from Mairi Fheargustan nin Coruna [Mary Ferguson], Carnish [Cairinis/Carinish, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] beginning 'Hura hurabhi o, B anns Seathan cul tota'. The song is composed of fifty lines and contains a number of annotations and amendments. The accompanying story tells how an old man in Baleshare [Baile Shear/Baleshare] called Iain mac Aonais MacAulay [John MacAulay] heard the song on a warm day while pulling heather at a known haunted knoll called Croca-du-Amhain-an-iasgaich [Cnoca Dubha Abhainn an Iasgaich]. People gathered to hear him sing the song when he returned. The place was avoided by local people if possible but one day Mary MacAulay also from Baile Shear/Baleshare was out searching for sheep when she saw two women coming out of this fairy hill, 'They had on green petticoats with sheen of silver. One tall & one short & both of exceed[ing] beauty & grace.' They told her where to go to find her sheep and also that she would see a tall man with a white sheet but that she must not go in his sight. When she saw the man, he was very tall and frightened her so much she took to her bed but recovered. He did not see her. The women gave her a small round stone with a hole in the centre and told her to keep it and she would have plenty fo sheep. She passed the stone on to her daughter as they had instructed her and the family always had good sheep. The text has been scored through in ink and written transversely across the first folio is 'B[ook] 2 P[age] [-] Transcribed Tues 15 June 1869 A[lexander] A[rchibald] C[armichael]'.

Dates

  • Creation: 29 May 1869 and 15 June 1869

Language of Materials

Gaelic English

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 64 folios ; 17 x 20.3 cm

Physical Location

5.07

Physical Location

folio 42r, line 6 to folio 44r, line 13

Bibliography

Carmichael, Alexander Carmina Gadelica, Vol V (Edinburgh, 1954) pp. 66-83.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
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