Scottish Borders Folk Tales [S.S. Col.] [Fairy Tales col.] by Spence James P

Author:Spence, James P. [Spence, James P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Fiction, Folk Tales, Short Stories
ISBN: 9780750965736
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2015-08-06T00:00:00+00:00

THE DEVIL’S TUNE

When Michael Scot the wizard was biding at Aikwood Tower hae heard a lot o stories aboot the witch o Falsehope. Eventually hae decided tae go an find oot the truth o this for himself. Hae set off with his servant across tae the other side o the River Ettrick an up intae the hills above Falsehope Farm. The wizard an his servant then made their way doon tae the farmhoose. The servant stayed ootside whilst Michael Scot went intae see the wifie. But when Michael asked the wifie if she dealt in magic she immediately denied any knowledge o such a thing. Anything hae put tae her aboot witches an the like she flatly denied. At the hinderend, just tae see what would happen, the wizard planked doon his wand on the table. Quick as a flash she picked it up an skelped his lug wi it, stunning him. As hae tried tae come tae his senses hae could feel its power take a grip o him. It started pulling him this way an that. Then it lifted him up an wheeched him right oot the hoose. His servant ootside took yin look at his master an immediately set the greyhoonds on him. Michael Scot realised by the shape that hae occupied an his slender but hairy front paws that hae’d been turned intae a hare. Hae immediately sped off in sheer panic wi the pack o greyhoonds at his tail. Whilst scurrying away hae didnae have the breath tae reverse the spell. Aw hae could dae was zigzag as fast as hae could go tae keep the greyhoonds away frae his tail. It took him aboot twae hours tae gie the hoonds the slip by hiding in his ain sewer back at Aikwood. Only then was hae able tae unravel the witch’s spell.

Such a thing hae wasnae going tae let lie, an hae put in a fair bit o thought as tae how hae would get his revenge on that scunnersome witch o Falsehope. With this in mind hae sent his servant doon tae the farmhoose tae ask the wifie for a bit o bread for his empty belly.

Just as the wizard anticipated, the wifie had nae sympathy with his servant, wouldnae even gie him the time o day, let alone an auld dried bread-end, an chased him oot the hoose forthwith. However, unbekent by the wifie, the servant had slipped a bit o paper on top o the lintel just inside the door. On the paper was written aw sorts o cabalistical words, hidden marks, an this particular rhyme:

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