Mar a chaidh pìobairean Smeircleit a theagasg le na sìthiche...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1969.66.B3
Original Tape ID
Summary
How the famous Smerclete pipers were taught by the fairies.
This story was heard from Dòmhnall Mhìcheil (MacInnes). The Johnstones of Smerclete got the gift of piping in a fairy knoll. Three brothers in Garrymore were very keen on piping. The young brother heard beautiful piping while out one night, and wished he could play like that. A fairy hill opened, with music and dancing inside. A fairy asked if he would prefer piping which he would enjoy but no one else would like, or vice versa. He wanted piping which he and others would all enjoy. When he came out of the hill he could play better than anyone else and taught the rest of his family.
The Smerclete pipers became famous and played at great celebrations. One of them was going to play at a dance in Ormaclete. While passing a fairy hill at Kildonan he saw a bannock which he took with him. When he got to Ormaclete, he found he was invisible and had to take the bannock back. When he heard of it, Clanranald wished he had such a bannock: "Nach bochd nach ann agamsa a bha am bonnach sin - nach mi a dhèanadh an sgrios!"
Item Location
County - Inverness-shire
Parish - South Uist
Island - South Uist
Language
Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good