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A Traveller lad is chased by a water kelpie; discussion of m...

Date
Track ID 65019
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1979.26.B4

Original Tape ID

SA1979.026

Summary

A Traveller lad is chased by a water kelpie; discussion of monsters.

On a hot summer's day, Jockie Cameron, a young Traveller, decided to fish for pearls in the river near Park. He met a handsome, dark man who was fishing on the other side of the river. The man tricked him into deep water. Looking through his pearl-fishing jug, Jockie saw that the man had cloven feet. He was a water kelpie, half man and half horse. Jock ran for his life, leaving his clothes behind. He learned that many people had been drowned at that spot.

Stanley Robertson learned the story from his grandfather. He recalls an occasion when he was pearl fishing with Terry Higgins and they saw some kind of beast sitting on a rock in the water. Barbara McDermitt mentions a monster in the form of a worm, and Stanley dismisses the story of the Lanimer [sic] Worm as boring.

Item Notes

The story alluded to is that of the Lambton Worm.

Recording Location

County - Aberdeenshire

Parish - Aberdeen

Village/Place - Aberdeen

Item Location

County - Aberdeenshire

Parish - Drumoak

Village/Place - West Park

Language

English, Scots

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good