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A king's melancholy could be cured by wearing a happy man's...

Date 31 July 1976
Track ID 31791
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1976.112.B2

Original Tape ID

SA1976.112

Summary

A king's melancholy could be cured by wearing a happy man's shirt: it was cured by a tramp who had no shirt.

Once there was king who had everything, but could find no happiness. A man who appeared to be an old tramp told the king to leave his palace, dress in rags and go on the road till he found a really happy man, then wear his shirt. On the road the king asked everybody if they were happy, but no one was. Just as he had given up in despair the king met an old tramp dressed in rags who was laughing and singing to himself. The king asked him for his shirt. The beggarman laughed so much that he made the king laugh too. The old man could not give him his shirt because he did not have a shirt, only his coat. The king took the old tramp back with him and both lived happily ever after.

Recording Location

County - Fife

Parish - Cupar

Village/Place - Tarvit Farm

Language

Scots

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good