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Folklore - Hogmanay Dance
Dec. 30th, 2018 03:54 pmThis is from Folk Tales and Fairy Lore in Gaelic and English
collected from oral tradition by Rev. James MacDougall (1910)
pp. 162 - 167
{Hogmanay is a Scottish celebration of the last day of the year, in some places it is a greater celebration than Christmas. Like modern New Year bashes, it featured a lot of drinking. This is the story of two neighbours who were in charge of supplying drink for Hogmanay.}
The Two Neighbours and Their Hogmanay Whisky.
(or The Faerie Dance)
Two neighbours went for their Hogmanay whisky to an inn, which was not far off. After they had got the whisky, they returned with it in jars on their backs, and some of it, no doubt, under their belts. On the way they saw a brilliant light before them, and shortly after that they heard sweet music and a shout of great rejoicing coming from the place where they saw the light. They knew that a Fairy Knoll was there; and when they reached it, the door was open, and the fairies plying the dance.
One of the men thrust his dirk into a side post of the door, and he and his companion stood on the outward side of the dirk. But if they did,one of them did not remain there long. The music so excited him that he sprang into the Knoll, shouting, "up with it," and he began, with the jar on his back, to dance with the fairies. After he was a while on the floor, his companion outside called to him to come, otherwise they would not be home in time for Hogmanay.
"Tuts! we have plenty of time," said he; "I have not yet danced one reel." Then some of the fairies came to the door and tried to persuade the man outside to enter with his companion; but he remained where he was. After a good while, he again called to his companion who was within to come out, and go home with him. But if he called, it was in vain. He received only another answer similar to the first.
He now saw that he had better not stay any longer. So he drew his dirk out of the door-post, the Fairy Knoll closed, and he went away home.
When he arrived at the house, every one asked him where he had left his companion. He told them everything that had happened, and how he had left his companion dancing in the Fairy Knoll. But there was not one of them that credited the story. Instead of that they maintained that he had killed his neighbour, and that he had invented the story he told to turn away suspicion from himself. In vain did he protest his innocence. They put him in custody and pronounced sentence of death upon him. He then earnestly besought them to give him a year and a day's respite to clear himself of the suspicion under which he lay. That he obtained.
When the next Hogmanay came round, he went the way of the Fairy Knoll in which he had left his companion. The Fairy Knoll was open, and his companion, plying the dance with the fairies, as he had left him. He thrust the dirk into the door post, and called to his companion, who was dancing with the jar still on his back, that it was now high time for hhim to come out.
"What do you say? I have not yet finished the first reel."
"Do you know how long you are on the floor?"
"Not more than two or three minutes."
"You are here a day and a year! Your friends are thinking that you are dead, and intend to put me to death to-morrow unless I bring you home alive and well to-night."
"Stay until I finish this reel, and I will go with you then."
He now attempted to return within, but his companion laid hold of him by the arm and pulled him out. His companion then drew the dirk out of the door-post, and forthwith the door closed against them both. They returned home; and when they had arrived, and the first man had taken the jar off his back, the clothes under it were worn through to the skin.
collected from oral tradition by Rev. James MacDougall (1910)
pp. 162 - 167
{Hogmanay is a Scottish celebration of the last day of the year, in some places it is a greater celebration than Christmas. Like modern New Year bashes, it featured a lot of drinking. This is the story of two neighbours who were in charge of supplying drink for Hogmanay.}
The Two Neighbours and Their Hogmanay Whisky.
(or The Faerie Dance)
Two neighbours went for their Hogmanay whisky to an inn, which was not far off. After they had got the whisky, they returned with it in jars on their backs, and some of it, no doubt, under their belts. On the way they saw a brilliant light before them, and shortly after that they heard sweet music and a shout of great rejoicing coming from the place where they saw the light. They knew that a Fairy Knoll was there; and when they reached it, the door was open, and the fairies plying the dance.
One of the men thrust his dirk into a side post of the door, and he and his companion stood on the outward side of the dirk. But if they did,one of them did not remain there long. The music so excited him that he sprang into the Knoll, shouting, "up with it," and he began, with the jar on his back, to dance with the fairies. After he was a while on the floor, his companion outside called to him to come, otherwise they would not be home in time for Hogmanay.
"Tuts! we have plenty of time," said he; "I have not yet danced one reel." Then some of the fairies came to the door and tried to persuade the man outside to enter with his companion; but he remained where he was. After a good while, he again called to his companion who was within to come out, and go home with him. But if he called, it was in vain. He received only another answer similar to the first.
He now saw that he had better not stay any longer. So he drew his dirk out of the door-post, the Fairy Knoll closed, and he went away home.
When he arrived at the house, every one asked him where he had left his companion. He told them everything that had happened, and how he had left his companion dancing in the Fairy Knoll. But there was not one of them that credited the story. Instead of that they maintained that he had killed his neighbour, and that he had invented the story he told to turn away suspicion from himself. In vain did he protest his innocence. They put him in custody and pronounced sentence of death upon him. He then earnestly besought them to give him a year and a day's respite to clear himself of the suspicion under which he lay. That he obtained.
When the next Hogmanay came round, he went the way of the Fairy Knoll in which he had left his companion. The Fairy Knoll was open, and his companion, plying the dance with the fairies, as he had left him. He thrust the dirk into the door post, and called to his companion, who was dancing with the jar still on his back, that it was now high time for hhim to come out.
"What do you say? I have not yet finished the first reel."
"Do you know how long you are on the floor?"
"Not more than two or three minutes."
"You are here a day and a year! Your friends are thinking that you are dead, and intend to put me to death to-morrow unless I bring you home alive and well to-night."
"Stay until I finish this reel, and I will go with you then."
He now attempted to return within, but his companion laid hold of him by the arm and pulled him out. His companion then drew the dirk out of the door-post, and forthwith the door closed against them both. They returned home; and when they had arrived, and the first man had taken the jar off his back, the clothes under it were worn through to the skin.
