Folk Tales of Scotland (9 page)

‘Whaur’s tu gaun, wee Robin?’

And wee Robin says:

‘I’m gaun awa tae the King tae sing him a sang this guid Yule mornin.’

Grey Greedy Gled says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny feather in my wing.’

But wee Robin says:

‘Na, na, grey Greedy Gled, na, na! Ye pookit a’ the wee lintie, but ye’se no pook me.’

Sae, wee Robin flew awa till he cam tae the cleuch o’ the craig. There he saw slee Tod Lowrie sittin, and slee Tod Lowrie says:

‘Whaur’s tu gaun, wee Robin?’

And wee Robin says:

‘I’m gaun awa tae the King tae sing him a sang this guid Yule mornin.’

Slee Tod Lowrie says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny spot on the tap o’ my tail.’

‘Na, na, slee Tod Lowrie, na, na! Ye worrit the wee lammie, but ye’se no worry me.’

Sae, wee Robin flew awa till he cam tae a bonny burn-side. There he saw a wee callant sittin, and the wee callant says:

‘Whaur’s tu gaun, wee Robin?’

And wee Robin says:

‘I’m gaun awa tae the King tae sing him a sang this guid Yule mornin.’

The wee callant says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll gie ye a wheen grand moolins oot o’ my pooch.’

But wee Robin says:

‘Na, na, wee callant, na, na! Ye speldert the gowdspink, but ye’se no spelder me.’

Sae, wee Robin flew awa till he cam tae the King. There he sat on a winnock sole, and sang the King a bonny sang. And the King says tae the Queen:

‘What’ll we gie tae wee Robin for singin us this bonny sang?’

The Queen says tae the King:

‘I think we’ll gie him the wee Wran tae be his wife.’

Sae, wee Robin and the wee Wran were merriet. The King and the Queen, and a’ the coort danced at the waddin. Syne he flew awa hame tae his ain water-side, and happit on a brier.

HERE
was an old grey Cat, and she went away down by a water’s edge. There she saw a
wee Robin Redbreast sheltering on a briar, and Pussie Cat says:

‘Where are you going, wee Robin?’

‘I’m going away to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.’

Pussie Cat says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny white ring round my neck.’

But wee Robin says:

‘No, no, grey Pussie Cat, no, no! You worried the wee Mousie, but you’ll not worry me.’

So, wee Robin flew away till he came to the turf wall of a sheep-fold. There he saw grey Greedy Kite sitting, and grey Greedy Kite says:

‘Where are you going, wee Robin?’

And Wee Robin says:

‘I’m going away to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.’

Grey Greedy Kite says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny feather in my wing.’

But wee Robin says:

‘No, no, grey Greedy Kite, no, no! You plucked the wee Linnet, but you’ll not pluck me.’

So Wee Robin flew away till he came to the steep crag. There he saw sly Fox Lowrie sitting, and sly Fox Lowrie says:

‘Where are you going, wee Robin?’

And wee Robin says:

‘I’m going away to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.’

Sly Fox Lowrie says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny spot on the top of my tail.’

‘Na, na, sly Fox Lowrie, no, no! You worried the wee Lamb, but you’ll not worry me.’

So, wee Robin flew away till he came to a bonny stream. There he saw a wee Lad sitting, and the wee Lad says:

‘Where are you going, wee Robin?’

And wee Robin says:

‘I’m going away to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.’

The wee Lad says:

‘Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll give you a few fine crumbs out of my pocket.’

But wee Robin says:

‘Na, na, wee Lad, na, na! You cut up the Goldfinch, but you’ll not cut me up.’

So, wee Robin flew away till he came to the King. There he sat on a window sill, and sang the King a bonny song. And the King says to the Queen:

‘What’ll we give wee Robin for singing us the bonny song?’

The Queen says to the King:

‘I think we’ll give him the wee Wren to be his wife.’

So wee Robin and wee Wren were married. The King and the Queen and all the Court danced at the wedding.

Then wee Robin flew away home to his own river-bank, and sheltered on a briar.

NCE
upon a time all the animals and birds were at war. The King’s son went to see
the battle. He saw one fight between a black raven and a snake, and to help the raven he cut the snake’s head off.

‘For your kindness to me,’ said the raven, ‘I’ll let you see something. Come up between my two wings.’

The King’s son mounted the raven’s back, and was carried over seven bens, seven glens and seven mountain moors.

‘Now,’ said the raven, ‘you see that house there? Go there and tell my sister you saw me at the battle of the birds. But be sure to meet me here tomorrow morning.’

‘I’ll do that,’ said the King’s son.

He was well treated that night, with the best meat and drink, and warm water for his feet, and a soft bed to lie on.

Next day the raven took him over seven bens, seven glens and seven mountain moors. They came to a house belonging to the raven’s second sister, and there the Prince was well treated, with
plenty of meat and drink, warm water for his feet, and a soft bed to lie on.

Next morning he was again met by the raven, and taken over seven bens, seven glens and seven mountain moors. He was well treated by the raven’s third sister, but next morning, instead of
the raven, there was a young man with a bundle in his hand waiting for him.

‘Have you seen a raven, young man?’ said the Prince.

‘I am that raven,’ said the young man. ‘You loosed me from a spell, and for that I give you this bundle. Retrace your steps, stay a night at each house as before, but do not
open this bundle till you are at the place you would most like to live.’

The Prince retraced his steps. He stayed with the raven’s sisters as before. But as he was going through a deep wood the bundle grew heavy, and he looked to see what was in it.

In an instant, a great castle sprang up, with orchards filled with every kind of fruit, and gardens with every kind of herb and flower. The castle was in the wrong place, but the King’s
son could not put it back into the bundle.

Looking round, he saw a giant coming towards him.

‘You’ve built your castle in a stupid place, Prince,’ said the giant.

‘I don’t want it here,’ said the Prince. ‘It came here by accident.’

‘What reward will you give me for putting it back in the bundle?’ asked the giant.

‘What reward do you want?’

‘Give me your first son, when he is seven years old,’ replied the giant.

‘Yes, I’ll do that, if I have a son,’ said the Prince, who couldn’t imagine himself having a son.

In an instant, the giant put the castle, orchards and gardens back into the bundle as before.

‘Now go your way,’ said the giant, ‘and I’ll go mine. But remember your promise. If you forget, I’ll remember.’

The Prince set off, and after several days reached his favourite place. He opened the bundle in a fresh green hollow and there was his castle, with its orchards and gardens.

When he opened the castle door he saw a beautiful maiden.

‘Everything is ready,’ she said, ‘if you are willing to marry me tonight.’

‘I am willing,’ said the Prince. And they were married that night.

When nine months had passed a fine son was born to them. In the years that followed, the old King died and the young Prince became King in his place.

At the end of seven years and a day, the giant came to the castle. The young King remembered his promise.

‘Do not worry,’ said the Queen, ‘just leave it to me. I know what to do.’

Now, the giant grew impatient.

‘Bring out your son,’ said he. ‘Remember your promise.’

‘You can have him,’ said the King, ‘when his mother has made him ready for the journey.’

The Queen dressed the cook’s son, brought him out, and put his hand into the giant’s hand. The giant led him away, but he had not gone far before he handed the boy a rod.

‘If your father had that rod,’ said the giant, ‘what would he do with it?’

‘He would beat the dogs and the cats if they went near the King’s meat,’ said the lad.

‘You’re the cook’s son!’ said the giant, and returned to the castle with the lad.

‘If you do not hand over your true son to me,’ he roared, ‘the highest stone of your castle will be the lowest.’

‘We’ll try again,’ said the Queen to her husband. ‘The butler’s son is the same age as ours.’

She dressed the butler’s son in the young prince’s clothes, brought him out, and put his hand into the giant’s hand. The giant led him away. They had not gone far before the
giant handed the boy a rod.

‘If your father had that rod, what would he do with it?’

‘He’d beat the cats and the dogs if they came near the King’s wine-cellar.’

‘You are the butler’s son,’ said the giant, and returned to the castle. The earth trembled under his feet, the castle shook and everything in it.

‘Bring your son out here,’ he shouted, ‘or in a flash the highest stone in your castle will be the lowest.’

So the King brought his son and gave him to the giant, who led him away. They had not gone far before the giant handed the boy a rod.

‘If your father had that rod,’ said the giant, ‘what would he do with it?’

‘He’d use it as a sceptre and rule the land with it,’ said the young Prince.

‘Come with me,’ said the giant. ‘You’re the King’s own son, right enough.’ And he took the young Prince home and brought him up as his own son.

One day, years later, when the giant was out, the lad heard music coming from a window at the top of the giant’s house, and looking up he saw the giant’s youngest daughter. She told
him to come again at midnight.

He did so and the giant’s daughter climbed down beside him.

‘Tomorrow you will be given the choice of my two sisters in marriage,’ said she. ‘Say you will take no one but me. My father wants me to marry the son of the King of the Green
City, but I don’t love him.’

Next day the giant brought out his three daughters.

‘Now, King’s son,’ said he, ‘you’ve lost nothing by living with me so long. Now you’ll marry one of my daughters.’

‘If you give me your youngest daughter,’ said the King’s son, ‘I’ll agree.’

‘Before you have her,’ said the giant, ‘you must do three things.’

The giant took him to the byre.

‘A hundred cattle have been in the byre, and it hasn’t been cleaned for seven years,’ said the giant. ’If, before night, the byre is not so clean that a golden apple will
run from one end to the other, you’ll not marry my youngest daughter, and I’ll kill you.’

The Prince began to clean the byre, but he might as well have tried to bale out the ocean. After midday, when his sweat was blinding him, the giant’s youngest daughter came to him.

‘You are being punished, King’s son,’ said she.

‘I am that,’ said he.

‘Come here,’ said she, ‘and lay down your weariness.’

‘I’ll do that,’ said he, ‘there’s only death awaiting me.’

He sat down beside her and was so tired that he fell asleep. When he awoke, the giant’s daughter was gone, and the byre was so clean that a golden apple would run from one end to the
other.

‘You’ve cleaned the byre, King’s son,’ said the giant, as he came in.

‘I have,’ said the Prince.

‘Someone has cleaned it,’ said the giant. ‘Now you must thatch the byre with feathers by this time tomorrow, and no two feathers are to be the same colour.’

The Prince was up before the sun. He took his bow and a quiver of arrows to shoot the birds. He ran after them till the sweat blinded him, but he missed all but two. Then the youngest daughter
came to him.

‘You are tiring yourself, King’s son,’ said she.

‘Only two blackbirds fell, and they’re both the same colour.’