An apparition signals the death at sea of a Shetland girl's...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1955.106.3
Original Tape ID
Summary
An apparition signals the death at sea of a Shetland girl's sweetheart.
Over 100 years ago, a young woman's sweetheart was sailing off the Australian coast for two years and was expected to return at Christmas, when they would be married. Close to the time when he was due home the woman went to the banks [cliffs] to fetch a kishie [basket] of sillocks [young saithe]. She saw the young man's apparition at her side. It accompanied her to the house and then disappeared, causing her great concern, as she thought something would happen to her lover. She woke at 3 o'clock and saw the same apparition again. It came to the door and gave five knocks, then pushed a boat out. It touched the boat five times, then boat and ghost sank.
The form of a lion then came over the sea and up to the house. The woman put her head out of the skylight and asked the lion what it wanted. It told her that in five days time she would get the news of her sweetheart's death in a storm. The lion touched her five times and told her that the man loved her so much that he wanted to see her before death.
Recording Location
County - Shetland
Parish - Yell
Island - Yell
Item Location
County - Shetland
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good