Jack imprisoned Death in a nut, but the world was at a stand...

Original Track ID

SA1976.81.A1

Original Tape ID

SA1976.081

Summary

Jack imprisoned Death in a nut, but the world was at a standstill until Death was released.

Jack made himself ill eating unripe gooseberries. Death came to him in a dream on his sickbed. Jack said he wasn't ready for death. Jack and Death fought and Jack won. He put Death in a nut and flung it into the sea. Nothing died after that. Animals couldn't be butchered for meat, corn wouldn't ripen, and the world was at a standstill. Jack's mother sent him to her sister who was a henwife living by the sea. The henwife told him to wander the shores until he found the nut. He found it after a year and a day. He offered to let Death out if he promised not to come for him for 100 years. This was agreed, Death got out, and everything went back to normal.

Item Notes

Start of story told twice.

Recording Location

Language

Scots

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good