Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to Buchan (Penguin Classics) Read Free Page A

I took to my wings and away I flew.’
    The millers stopped their work, and looked at one another, scratching their heads in amazement.
    ‘Sing that song over again, my bonnie bird!’ exclaimed both of them together when the Doo had finished, ‘and we will give you this millstone.’
    So the Doo repeated its song, and got the millstone, which it asked one of the millers to lift on to its back; then it flew out of the mill, and up the valley, leaving the two men staring after it dumb with astonishment.
    As you may think, the milk-white Doo had a heavy load to carry, but it went bravely on till it came within sight of its father’s cottage, and lighted down at last on the thatched roof.
    Then it laid its burdens on the thatch, and, flying down to the courtyard, picked up a number of little chuckie stones. With them in its beak it flew back to the roof, and began to throw them down the chimney.
    By this time it was evening, and the Goodman and his wife, and his little daughter, Golden-tresses, were sitting around thetable eating their supper. And you may be sure that they were all very much startled when the stones came rattling down the chimney, bringing such a cloud of soot with them that they were almost smothered. They all jumped up from their chairs, and ran outside to see what the matter was.
    And Golden-tresses, being the littlest, ran the fastest, and when she came out at the door the milk-white Doo flung the bundle of clothes down at her feet.
    And the father came out next, and the milk-white Doo flung the bag of silver down at his feet.
    But the wicked stepmother, being somewhat stout, came out last, and the milk-white Doo threw the millstone right down on her head and killed her.
    Then it spread its wings and flew away, and has never been seen again; but it had made the Goodman and his daughter rich for life, and it had rid them of the cruel stepmother, so that they lived in peace and plenty for the remainder of their days.

THE WELL O’ THE
WORLD’S END
Elizabeth Grierson
    There was once an old widow woman, who lived in a little cottage with her only daughter, who was such a bonnie lassie that everyone liked to look at her.
    One day the old woman took a notion into her head to bake a girdleful of cakes. So she took down her baking-board, and went to the meal-chest and fetched a basinful of meal; but when she went to seek a jug of water to mix the meal with, she found that there was none in the house.
    So she called to her daughter, who was in the garden; and when the girl came she held out the empty jug to her, saying, ‘Run, like a good lassie, to the Well o’ the World’s End and bring me a jug of water, for I have long found that water from the Well o’ the World’s End makes the best cakes.’
    So the lassie took the jug and set out on her errand.
    Now, as its name shows, it is a long road to that well, and many a weary mile had the poor maid to go ere she reached it.
    But she arrived there at last; and what was her disappointment to find it dry.
    She was so tired and so vexed that she sat down beside it and began to cry; for she did not know where to get any more water, and she felt that she could not go back to her mother with an empty jug.
    While she was crying, a nice yellow puddock , with very bright eyes, came jump-jump-jumping over the stones of the well, and squatted down at her feet, looking up into her face.
    ‘And why are ye crying, my bonnie maid?’ he asked. ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’
    ‘I am crying because the well is empty,’ she answered, ‘and I cannot get any water to carry home to my mother.’
    ‘Listen,’ said the puddock softly. ‘I can get you water in plenty, if you’ll promise to be my wife.’
    Now the lassie had but one thought in her head, and that was to get the water for her mother’s oatcakes, and she never for a moment thought that the puddock was serious, so she promised gladly enough to be his wife, if he would just get her a jug of