MacDonald of the Isles

DESCRIPTION: MacDonald courts Peggy, a lowland lady. He tells her that if she'd go with him he'd marry her. She agrees. As they ride "there was nothing there fittin for a lady." She becomes pregnant. At home he has a coach prepared to "go ... and see your daddy"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1906 (Greig/Duncan4)
LONG DESCRIPTION: MacDonald says, "first when I cam to Kilboggie's Toon" courting Peggy "she lay in her bed till her breakfast was ready." She tells her mother that she would leave her silk gowns to go with her Highland laddie. He tells her that if she'd go with him he'd marry her and she'd be "a Highland chieftain's lady" She agrees. They ride with her in disguise, as his sister, or Lowland Kate, or Lowland Jinny. As they ride "there was nothing there fittin for a lady." She becomes pregnant. She recalls what she has left behind "in my father's ha'" He assures her that when they reach his home she'll be a lady. When they do arrive he has a coach and six prepared to "go once more and see your daddy"
KEYWORDS: elopement marriage sex return disguise pregnancy mother
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Greig/Duncan4 851, "MacDonald of the Isles" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Roud #95
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Glasgow Peggy" [Child 228] (tune and general plot)
NOTES [108 words]: Greig/Duncan4 quoting Duncan: "It is not easy to settle the exact relation between this ballad and [Greig/Duncan4 [850], Child 228] 'Glasgow Peggy'; but that there is a connection is clear enough. The plot and development of the story are the same; the names of Peggy and Macdonald are in both; some stanzas in the later part of this ballad are either modelled on 'Glasgow Peggy' or taken from it (9,10,13,14); and, to complete the connection, the tune is the same. Yet the greater part of the fifteen stanzas are quite different in matter from any version of 'Glasgow Peggy', and the name Kilboggie or Kilbagie is not found in any form of it." - BS
Last updated in version 2.5
File: GrD4851

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