VINTAGE TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

PEERIE FOOL AND THE PRINCESS (Orkney Island 🇦🇽)

Orkney is a group of islands situated off the northeastern coast of Scotland. The archipelago boasts several tall sandstone cliffs, seal colonies, and Neolithic sites. The 'Heart of Neolithic Orkney' is composed of several 5,000-year-old sites located on the Mainland, which is the largest island in the group. Among these sites are Skara Brae, a preserved village with a reconstructed house, and Maeshowe, a chambered burial tomb that features 12th-century Viking carvings.

The Orkney Islands, situated off the northern coast of Scotland, have a fascinating tradition of folktales and legends. These stories have been handed down through generations, reflecting the unique culture and history of the islands. They offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and imagination of the Orcadian people.
I just wanted to let you know that there is an interesting variation of the classic tale "Rumpelstiltskin" that comes from the Orkney Islands off the northern coast of Scotland. It's called "Peerie Fool and the Princess" and I'd love to share the story with you!

Let's read;

Once upon a time, there was a king and queen in Rousay who had three daughters.

Unfortunately, the king passed away, and the queen was left to live in a small house with her daughters. They had a cow and a kale (cabbage) yard, but their cabbages kept getting stolen. The eldest daughter suggested to the queen that she would sit outside at night, wrapped in a blanket, to see what was taking the kale. That night, a big giant came into the yard and started cutting the kale, throwing it into a large straw basket.

The princess asked him why he was taking her mother's kale, but he warned her to be quiet or he would take her too.

As soon as he had filled his cubby, he took her by a leg and an arm and threw her on the top of his cubby of kale, and away home he went with her.

When he got home, he told her what work she had to do. She had to milk the cow and put her up on the hills called Bloomfield, and then she had to take wool and wash and tease it, and comb and card, and spin and make cloth. When the giant went out, she milked the cow and put her to the hills.

Then she put on the pot and made porridge for herself. As she was supping it, a great many peeries (little) yellow-headed folks came running, calling out to give them some.

She said Little for one, and less for two, And never a grain have I for you. When she came to work the wool, none of that work could she do at all.

The giant came home at night and found that she had not done her work. He took her and began at her head, and peeled the skin down her back and over her feet. Then he threw her on the couples [rafters] among the hens. The same adventure befell the second girl. If her sister could do little with the wool, she could do less. When the giant came home, he found her work not done. He began at the crown of her head peeled a strip of skin all down her back and over her feet, and threw her on the couple beside her sister. They lay there and could not speak nor come down.

The next night, the youngest princess said she would take a blanket about her and go to watch what had gone away with her sisters. Ere long, in came a giant with a big cubby, and began to cut the kale.

She was asking why he was taking her mother's kale. He was saying, if she was not quiet, he would take her too. He took her by a leg and an arm threw her on the top of his cubby and carried her away. The next morning he gave her the same work as he had given her sisters. When he was gone out, she milked the cow and put her to the high hills. Then she put on the pot and made porridge for herself. When the peerie yellow-headed folk came asking for some, she told them to get something to sup with. Some got heather cows [brooms made from twigs of heather] and some got broken dishes. Some got one thing, and some another, and they all got some of her porridge.

After everyone had left, a young boy with yellow hair came in and asked if the princess had any wool work for him to do. She responded that she did have plenty of work, but she would not be able to pay him for it. The boy replied that all he wanted was for her to tell him his name. She thought it was an easy task, so she gave him the wool to work with. As it started getting dark, an elderly woman came in and asked if the princess had a place for her to stay for the night. The princess replied that she could not provide lodging, but asked if the old woman had any news to share. Unfortunately, the old woman had no news and left to find shelter under a nearby knoll. She climbed to the top and overheard a voice coming from inside.

Tease, teasers, tease;
Card, carders, card;
Spin, spinners, spin,
For Peerie Fool is my name.

There was a crack in the know, and the light was coming out. She looked in and saw a great many peerie folk working, and a peerie yellow-headed boy running around them, calling out. The old woman thought she would get lodging if she went to give this news, so she came back and told the princess the whole of it.

The princess went on saying, "Peerie Fool, Peerie Fool," till the yellow-headed boy came with all the wool made into cloth.

He asked what his name was, and she guessed names, and he jumped about and said, "No."
At last, she said, "Peerie Fool is your name." He threw down the wool and ran off very angry.

As the giant was returning home, he met many small, yellow-headed people, some with their eyes hanging on their chests. He asked them what was wrong, and they told him they were working hard, pulling very fine wool. He said that he had a good wife at home, and if she was safe, he would never allow her to work again. When he arrived home, his wife was safe and had already made many webs.

He was very kind to her. The next day, when he went out, she found her sisters and took them down from the rafters. She put the skin on their backs again, and she placed her eldest sister in a cozy straw basket with all the fine things she could find, along with grass on top.

"When the giant returned home, the woman asked him to take some food for her mother's cow and give it to her along with the crazy. Surprised by her kindness, he agreed to do so. The following day, she did the same with her other sister. She informed the giant that she would have the last of the food ready for her mother's cow the next night, and she would leave it for him. The woman then got into the crazy with all the fine things she could find and covered herself with grass.

The giant took the crazy and carried it to the queen's house. However, the queen and her daughters had prepared a big boiler of boiling water, which they poured over him when he was under the window. This was the end of the giant."

"After killing the giant", The two sisters happily reunited with their mother and older sister.

" Queen and princesses live happily ever after."

(The story of Peerie Fool has similarities to other folktales. It is said that fairy folk have unattractive looks due to their hard work. They hide their eyes, and tongues, and have their backs bent down. They travel by using staff. This is similar to the stories of "The Three Spinners" collected by the Brothers Grimm and "The Three Aunts" collected in Norway by Asbjørnsen and Moe. In these stories, the aunts are also deformed due to their hard work. This detail is included in all versions of the folktale in Orkney.

The tale of Peerie Fool is related to other folktales that also feature strange-looking fairy beings. These creatures appear unattractive as a result of their hard work, with some hiding their eyes, some hiding their tongues, and some flying with bent backs on staffs. When questioned about their appearance, they respond with excuses such as "teasing," "spinning," or mention their "chairman." This detail is similar to "The Three Spinners," collected by the Grimm brothers, and "The Three Aunts," collected in Norway by Asbjørnsen and Moe. These tales also feature deformed aunts and spinners due to their work and are classified as AT 501 in the Thompson Motif Index. All versions of the Peerie Fool folktale in Orkney include this detail.)

Source; An Orkney Island folktale by Ernest Marwick

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