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The Blue Mountains and Other Gaelic Stories from Cape BretonNa Beanntaichean Gorma agus Sgeulachdan Eile à Ceap Breatainn |
eBook Available
Gaelic tales from the best of Cape Breton's storytelling tradition.
John Shaw has been documenting Cape Breton's Gaelic traditions since the 1960s. In The Blue Mountains and Other Gaelic Stories from Cape Breton he presents thirty tales recorded between 1964 and 1989. The collection includes popular tales such as The Dragon Slayer, hero-tales of Fionn Mac Cumhail and his warrior band, accounts of the famed carpenter Boban Saor, stories of robbers and thieves, comic tall tales, historical legends, and accounts of clan traditions brought over from the western Highlands.
Shaw provides both the Gaelic texts and English translations. When possible, he identifies both the original Gaelic storyteller and the local reciters. Reciters in the collection include Joe Neil MacNeil, a major Canadian storyteller, as well as others whose stories have never before been published. The Blue Mountains and Other Gaelic Stories from Cape Breton showcases a unique and neglected storytelling tradition.
Shaw provides both the Gaelic texts and English translations. When possible, he identifies both the original Gaelic storyteller and the local reciters. Reciters in the collection include Joe Neil MacNeil, a major Canadian storyteller, as well as others whose stories have never before been published. The Blue Mountains and Other Gaelic Stories from Cape Breton showcases a unique and neglected storytelling tradition.
Details
240 Pages, 6 x 9
ISBN 9780773532571
May 2007
Formats: Paperback, eBook
"Shaw is the leading expert on Cape Breton Gaelic storytelling. This splendid collection of tales helps maintain a remarkable legacy, bringing an awareness of Cape Breton heritage to a wider public." Diarmuid Ó Giolláin, senior lecturer, folklore, University College Cork
John Shaw is the editor and translator of Tales Until Dawn: The World of a Cape Breton Gaelic Story-Teller and Brigh an Òrain: A Story in Every Song. He is a senior lecturer in Scottish ethnology at the University of Edinburgh.
The Blue Mountains and Other Gaelic Stories from Cape Breton
Recorded, translated, and edited by John Shaw
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
PART ONE. INTERNATIONAL TALES
CUID A H -AON. SGEULACHDAN EADAR-NÀI S EANTA
1 Mac an Iasgair Mhóir 2
The Big Fisherman’s Son 3
2 Am Fear a Fhuair Paidhir Bhròg an Asgaidh 30
The Man Who Got a Pair of Shoes for Free 31
3 Na Beanntaichean Gorma 32
The Blue Mountains 33
4 Sgeulachd nan Gillean Glasa 58
The Grey Lads 59
5 Am Fear a Chuir am Bàs ’sa Phoca 68
The Man Who Trapped Death in a Sack 69
6 Iain Òg Mac na Banndraich 74
Young Ian the Widow’s Son 75
PART TWO. S TORI E S ABOUT ROBBERS AND THIEVES
CUID A DHÀ. ROBAI REAN IS MEÀIRLICH
7 Conall Ruadh nan Car 86
Red Conall of the Tricks 87
8 Sgeulachd a’Chòcaire Ruaidh 100
The Red Cook 101
9 Meàirleach Dugh a’Ghlinne 116
The Black Thief of the Glen 117
10 An Dithist Ghadaiche Ainmeil 118
The Two Famous Thieves 119
PART THREE. TALL TALES
CUID A TRÌ. R Ò LAISTEAN
11 Mar a Chaidh Aonghus Bàn a Shealgaireachd 122
Angus Bàn Goes Hunting 123
12 An Sagart Bàn ’s an Sgadan 126
The White Priest and the Herring 127
13 An Cù Glic 128
The Wise Dog 129
14 Am Fear a Chaidh an Ceann a Ghearradh Dheth 130
The Decapitated Man 131
15 An t-Ugh Mór 134
The Big Egg 135
16 Pìos dhen Adhar 136
A Piece of the Sky 137
17 An t-Uircean Bàithte 140
The Drowned Piglet 141
PART FOUR. TALES OF T H E FIANN
CUID A CEITHIR. SGEULACHDAN NA FÉINNEADH
18 Oisein an Déidh na Féinneadh 144
Oisein, the Last of the Fiann 145
19 Fionn agus an Leac 150
Fionn and the Lintel-Stone 151
PART FIVE. HISTORICAL LEGENDS AND CLAN TRADITIONS
CUID A CÒI G. S EANCHAS AGUS EACHDRAIDH NAM FINEACHAN
20 Raghnall mac Ailein Òig 156
Ranald Son of Young Allan 157
21 Mac ’ic Ailein agus an Gearran Ruadh 162
Clanranald and the Red Gelding 163
PART SIX. OTHER LEGENDS
CUID A SIA. U I RSGEULAN E ILE
22 Riley’s an Deamhan 166
Riley and The Devil 167
23 Caiptean Dubh Bhaile Chròic 170
The Black Captain from Baile Chròic 171
24 Cù Glas Mheòbail 180
The Grey Hound of Meoble 181
25 Am Fear a dh’Fhalbh Oidhche na Bainnse ’s nach do Thill 182
The Man Who Went Out on the Night of the Wedding and Never Returned 183
26 Am Muileann Dubh 184
The Black Mill 185
27 Cnàimh a’Sileadh Faladh 188
The Bleeding Bone 189
28 A’Cluich Chairtean leis an Donas 190
The Cardplayers and the Devil 191
PART SEVEN. TALES OF BOBAN SAOR
CUID A S EACHD. BOBAN SAOR
29 An Diachainn a Chuireadh air Boban Saor 194
How Boban Saor Was Put to the Test 195
30 Boban Saor a’Tadhal air a Mhac 196
Boban Saor Calls on his Son 197
The Reciters 199
Notes 207
Select Bibliography 215
Recorded, translated, and edited by John Shaw
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
PART ONE. INTERNATIONAL TALES
CUID A H -AON. SGEULACHDAN EADAR-NÀI S EANTA
1 Mac an Iasgair Mhóir 2
The Big Fisherman’s Son 3
2 Am Fear a Fhuair Paidhir Bhròg an Asgaidh 30
The Man Who Got a Pair of Shoes for Free 31
3 Na Beanntaichean Gorma 32
The Blue Mountains 33
4 Sgeulachd nan Gillean Glasa 58
The Grey Lads 59
5 Am Fear a Chuir am Bàs ’sa Phoca 68
The Man Who Trapped Death in a Sack 69
6 Iain Òg Mac na Banndraich 74
Young Ian the Widow’s Son 75
PART TWO. S TORI E S ABOUT ROBBERS AND THIEVES
CUID A DHÀ. ROBAI REAN IS MEÀIRLICH
7 Conall Ruadh nan Car 86
Red Conall of the Tricks 87
8 Sgeulachd a’Chòcaire Ruaidh 100
The Red Cook 101
9 Meàirleach Dugh a’Ghlinne 116
The Black Thief of the Glen 117
10 An Dithist Ghadaiche Ainmeil 118
The Two Famous Thieves 119
PART THREE. TALL TALES
CUID A TRÌ. R Ò LAISTEAN
11 Mar a Chaidh Aonghus Bàn a Shealgaireachd 122
Angus Bàn Goes Hunting 123
12 An Sagart Bàn ’s an Sgadan 126
The White Priest and the Herring 127
13 An Cù Glic 128
The Wise Dog 129
14 Am Fear a Chaidh an Ceann a Ghearradh Dheth 130
The Decapitated Man 131
15 An t-Ugh Mór 134
The Big Egg 135
16 Pìos dhen Adhar 136
A Piece of the Sky 137
17 An t-Uircean Bàithte 140
The Drowned Piglet 141
PART FOUR. TALES OF T H E FIANN
CUID A CEITHIR. SGEULACHDAN NA FÉINNEADH
18 Oisein an Déidh na Féinneadh 144
Oisein, the Last of the Fiann 145
19 Fionn agus an Leac 150
Fionn and the Lintel-Stone 151
PART FIVE. HISTORICAL LEGENDS AND CLAN TRADITIONS
CUID A CÒI G. S EANCHAS AGUS EACHDRAIDH NAM FINEACHAN
20 Raghnall mac Ailein Òig 156
Ranald Son of Young Allan 157
21 Mac ’ic Ailein agus an Gearran Ruadh 162
Clanranald and the Red Gelding 163
PART SIX. OTHER LEGENDS
CUID A SIA. U I RSGEULAN E ILE
22 Riley’s an Deamhan 166
Riley and The Devil 167
23 Caiptean Dubh Bhaile Chròic 170
The Black Captain from Baile Chròic 171
24 Cù Glas Mheòbail 180
The Grey Hound of Meoble 181
25 Am Fear a dh’Fhalbh Oidhche na Bainnse ’s nach do Thill 182
The Man Who Went Out on the Night of the Wedding and Never Returned 183
26 Am Muileann Dubh 184
The Black Mill 185
27 Cnàimh a’Sileadh Faladh 188
The Bleeding Bone 189
28 A’Cluich Chairtean leis an Donas 190
The Cardplayers and the Devil 191
PART SEVEN. TALES OF BOBAN SAOR
CUID A S EACHD. BOBAN SAOR
29 An Diachainn a Chuireadh air Boban Saor 194
How Boban Saor Was Put to the Test 195
30 Boban Saor a’Tadhal air a Mhac 196
Boban Saor Calls on his Son 197
The Reciters 199
Notes 207
Select Bibliography 215
