Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

THE BAERA WIDOW S SON. I I 7
Sunday lie went to the cliurcli. In tlie middle
of the sermon the king and queen came out ; they
stood at each side of the (bridle) rein. When the
king saw him coming out he let go the rein ; he
took his hat off to the ground, and he made manners
at him. " By your leave ; you need n't make such
manners at me. It is I that should make them to
yourself. " — " If it were your will that you should go
with me to the palace to take dinner." — " Ud ! Ud I it
is a man below you with whom I would go to dinner."
They reached the palace. Food was set in the place
of eating, drink in the place of drinking, music in the
place of hearing. They were plying the feast and the
company with joy and gladness,* because they had
hopes that they would get news of their daughter.
"Oh, skipper of the ship," said the c[ueen, "hide not
from me a thing that I am going to ask thee." Any
tiling that I have that I can tell I wiU not Mde it from
you." " And hide not from me that a woman's hand
set that dress about your back, your coat, your brigis,
and your waistcoat, and gave you the ring about your
finger, and the book that was in your hand, and the
whistle that you were plajong." " I will not hide it.
"With a woman's right hand every whit of them was
reached to me." " And where didst thou find her ?
'T is a daughter of mine that is there." " I know not
to whom she is daughter. I found her in Turkey about
to be burned in a great gaping fire." " Sawest thou a
woman along with her ? " "I did not see her ; she
was burned before I arrived. I bought her mth gold
and silver. I took her with me, and I have got her in
a chamber in England." " The king had a great general,"
said the queen, " and what should he do but fall in love
* This passage is one common to many reciters, and spoiled
by translation.