Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?

Subject: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 03:22 PM

In Sharyn McCrumb's new novel Songcatcher (NO relation to the movie!) she mentions an old woman in Scotland in the 1700's who was a healer and "knew things," i.e. had the "second sight" and was rumoured to have become that way by drinking from branigh's cup.

When I tried a search on google it kept telling me I meant "branagh," the actor!

Anyone know this legend? That part of the novel takes place on the "Rinns of Islay." Don't know if that is real or not.

Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 03:54 PM

Ah, have just found that was a name for the Queen of Faeries.

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: little john cameron
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 04:59 PM

DEPARTURE OF THE FAIRIES

ON a Sabbath morning, all the inmates of a little hamlet had gone to church, except a herd-boy, and a little girl, his sister, who were lounging beside one of the cottages, when just as the shadow of the garden-dial had fallen on the line of noon, they saw a long cavalcade ascending out of the ravine, through the wooded hollow. It winded among the knolls and bushes, and turning round the northern gable of the cottage, beside which the sole spectators of the scene were stationed, began to ascend the eminence towards the south. The horses were shaggy diminutive things, speckled dun and grey; the riders stunted, misgrown, ugly creatures, attired in antique jerkins of plaid, long grey clokes, and little red caps, from under which their wild uncombed locks shot out over their cheeks and foreheads. The boy and his sister stood gazing in utter dismay and astonishment, as rider after rider, each more uncouth and dwarfish than the other which had preceded it, passed the cottage and disappeared among the brushwood, which at that period covered the hill, until at length the entire rout, except the last rider, who lingered a few yards behind the others, had gone by. "What are you, little manie ? and where are ye going?" inquired the boy, his curiosity getting the better of his fears and his prudence. "Not of the race of Adam," said the creature, turning for a moment in its saddle, "the people of peace shall never more be seen in Scotland."

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 05:26 PM

Dont know the story, but the Rinns of Islay is real,it's the sticky-out hammerhead bit on the west of the island of Islay(pronounced Eye-la). famous for whisky, and an unsuccessful bit of salmon-poaching by yours truly.

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 05:41 PM

Poignant story, ljc, thanks!

Greg, that matches up with what the author has written. She is usually pretty good with her references, even said Islay was named after a goddess Ila who used the islands as steppting stone to come over from Ireland. Ah...if you were unsuccessful, then ya aren't guilty, eh?*bg*

McCrumb uses trad music references in all of her books which take place in Appalachia. She gives her family background at the beginning of one of them and she is the genuine article, in being a legitimate descendant of Scots, etc. However, in this latest book, she has one character talking about Lark in the morning being a relatively obscure, mostly unknown trad song! I think I'll write to her and offer my research services and give the Mudcat a cut! Otherwise, I always enjoy her novels. (Oh, yeah, and it supposedly doesn't have any words to it. I suspect she is just using it for an artifice, so that the main character, named "Lark" will be able to suit the words to the situation.)

Thanks ya'll!

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: Shonagh
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 06:35 PM

Would Branigh have anything to do with the Brahan Seer? Just wondering if there is a connection! i should no this one coz i have hundreds of folklore books and mythology books in my room but ith as escaped me this time!

Subject: RE: Help: Scottish folklore query-Branigh's cup?
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 06:45 PM

Funny you should ask, Shonagh, as I thought I had misread the reference, at first and thought that, too. Plus. I have a fairly unusual book about the Brahan Seer, which sparked me to once ask if there were any songs about the Brahan Seer.

In this case, the author, as I found out when I read further along, is definitely talking about the Queen of the Faeries.

Thanks,

kat