John Stewart's mother met a ghost at a ruined house; half hi...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1978.132
Original Tape ID
Summary
John Stewart's mother met a ghost at a ruined house; half his face had been blown off in an explosion.
John Stewart's mother, aged seventeen or eighteen, had been out hawking in a part of Argyllshire that she did not know. It was getting dark, and she asked two roadmen if there was a near cut [short cut]. They directed her to a path across the moor, but advised her against it in case she went into the bog. She nevertheless set off. The path passed by a ruined house. Outside it, a young man was leaning against a stone. He did not turn round as he returned her greeting. He told her the house had been that of an old miner. One day the miner saw the young man kissing his young wife. He made an explosive device at the mine and came to the house saying he had found lead (or perhaps it was silver), and the young man came running out to the mine to see. The explosive went off. The young man, who had half his face blown off, but crawled to the house before he died, where he saw the old man cut his wife's throat and hang her above the door. At this the young man leaning on the stone turned round. Half his face was missing. He disappeared.
Item Location
County - Argyllshire
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good