Jack and the Devil's Purse by Duncan Williamson Read Free Book Online

thing standing at the gate of the graveyard, but
two
.

Wee Black Hen
    A long time ago, long before your time and mine, there wonst lived a rich farmer. This farmer was very well off. He had worked hard all his life and had everything his heart desired. But he had also three grown-up sons. There was Willie and Sandy and the youngest laddie, Jack. Now, the three sons had worked for their father all their lives. Even Jack. Jack wasn’t lazy; Jack was very clever. In fact, the father had great respect for them all. But because there were three sons, one night he and his wife were sitting talking things over.
    ‘Look, I’m getting too old for running this place,’ he said. ‘Me and you could get a wee house in the village. We could give the farm to the laddies. They could run it for themselves.’
    And the mother says, ‘Aye, that’ll be fine, husband. But what about the fighting, the squabbling and arguing that’ll go on between them if you give it to the three of them?’
    ‘Well, I can’t give it to one of them and leave the other two with nothing.’ So he thought it over for a wee while and he said, ‘I’ve got a better idea. The three of them are single. None of them’s got a wife. And none of them’s courting any lassies in the village that I ken about. So I’ll tell you what I’ll do, wife. I’ll call them before me in the morning and I’ll make it plain. I’m going to send them into the world, each ina different direction. And I want them to go and seek their own fortunes for one year. I’m sending them out to seek wives for themselves. And the one that brings the most handsome young woman back for their wife will get the farm! And then there’ll be no squabbling.’
    Oh, the old woman was overjoyed. She thought this was a wonderful idea. So they went to their bed. The old man and woman chatted away all night and thought it was a good idea.
    She was ay thinking, ‘What about Jack? Jack’s kind o’ bashful and he’s kind o’ young.’ Jack would be about eighteen at the time.
    ‘Ah well,’ he said, ‘Jack’ll just have to take his chance along with the rest.’
    So the next morning when the old woman got up she put breakfast, ham and eggs and stuff down for the laddies. They were all sitting round the old wooden table in the kitchen. And after the farmer had finished his breakfast and leaned back: ‘Laddies,’ he said, ‘I want to tell you something this morning.’
    So the laddies were waiting to get their jobs, what their father wanted done.
    He said: ‘Me and your mother’s been thinking. I’m getting kind o’ old for this farm and we want to take a wee cottage in the village. And we want to leave the farm to youse. But we can’t leave it to the three o’ youse. Because I ken what like it will be; there’ll be two or more arguing. You’ll be wanting to do this and you’ll be wanting to do that. And things will never work out. So me and your mother have thought o’ a plan. We’re going to give you each a bit o’ money to keep you going, and send you each out into the world. Now I want youse each to go in a different direction. One go east, one go west, one go northor south, I don’t care. But youse are no’ all going the same way. And to make sure, I’m going to send youse out a day after each other, ahind each other. Now the one who brings back the most beautiful young woman to be their wife in the one year to the day that you leave this house, the one that brings back the bonniest and handsomest young woman to this house before me and your mother will get the whole farm to themselves for the rest of their life! And I’ll pay for all the arrangements for a good wedding day. I’ll give you all everything you require. We’ll have a great session, a great get-together when youse all return. But youse must all return a year from the day, because I must have only one wedding day. So will you do that for me? Do youse agree to that?’
    ‘Oh, Father!’ they said, and they