J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

XL.
THE SON OF THE SCOTTISH YEOMAN
WHO STOLE THE BISHOP'S HOESE AND
DAUGHTER, AND THE BISHOP HIM-
SELF.
From Donald MacLean, Grassmarket, Edinburgh. Written in
Gaelic, and translated by the Rev. Mr. MacLauchlan.
rpHEEE was once a Scottish yeoman who had three
-*- sons. When the youngest of them came to be of
age to follow a profession, he set apart three hundred
marks for each of them. The youngest son asked that
Ills portion might be given to liimself, as he was going
away to seek his fortune. He went to the great city
of London. He was for a time there, and what Avas
he doing but learning to be a gentleman's servant ?
He at last set about fmding a master. He heard that
the chief magistrate (provost*) of London wanted a
servant. He applied to him, they agreed, and he
entered his service. The chief magistrate was in the
habit of going every day in the week to meet the
Archbishop of London in a particular place. The ser-
vant attended his master, for he always went out along
with him. When they had broken up their meeting
on one occasion, they returned homewards, and the
servant said to his master by the way, —
* The Gaelic " Probhaisd " is an adaptation of the English
" Provost," as the latter is of the Latin '■ Propositus."