Traveller in Two Worlds The Early Life of Scotland's Wandering Bard
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
David Campbell grew up in the story and song-rich North East of Scotland, where he acquired a lifelong passion for poetry and the power of the spoken word. He graduated with Honours in English from the University of Edinburgh, then worked with BBC Radio Scotland for many years on a wide variety of programmes. He also reviewed books and drama extensively in the Scottish press and has published poems and short stories in Scottish literary magazines. He co-wrote the children's book The Three Donalds (Scottish Children's Press, 1996), and wrote Tales to Tell I & II (St Andrews Press, 1986 and 1994) and Out of the Mouth of the Morning (Luath Press, 2009). Widely regarded as one of Scotland's finest storytellers and as a popular ambassador of Scottish lore and literature, he has toured worldwide with his repertoire of talks and stories. He currently lives in Edinburgh.
<p>This Celtic collection is drawn from various age-old sources lovingly and lyrically retold by a master storyteller. <b> The Scotsman on <i>Out of the Mouth of the Morning</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p>Scotland's greatest modern-day storyteller. <b>The Guardian</b></p>
Duncan Williamson came from a large Scottish Traveller family. Born in a tent by Loch Fyne in 1928, with his Grandmother as the midwife, Williamson grew up surrounded by storytellers, ballad singers and musicians. He attended Furnace Public School, although the Travellers were often subject to prejudice in the local area. He left home at 13 working at everything from farm work to coaching boxing. He eloped and married his cousin Jeannie Townsley with whom he had seven children. Following her death he met and later married Linda Headlee who instigated the publication of his stories and encouraged him to take his reputed repertoire of three thousand tales from the tent to the world. David Campbell's desire to broadcast one of Duncan's stories on BBC Radio Scotland brought about their eventful meeting. Williamson died in 2007 aged 79. This first volume of A Traveller in Two Worlds follows Duncan Williamson's life until 1971. His story will be continued in Volume Two.
Acknowledgements 7
Preface 9
Meeting 11
Kindling 16
Roots & Lore 38
Springtime 49
Village Tales 71
War 82
Aunt Rachel 95
Dangerous Corners 102
Travelling On 116
Characters Galore 123
The Hook 145
The Ceilidh 156
Hitler 169
The Jackdaw 173
The Lang Sang 180
The Minister 188
Cheeny Feekin 199
Glasgow 204
The Bold Man 209
At Her Majesty’s Pleasure 223
Duncan Williamson, born in a tent on the banks of Loch Fyne, lived between two worlds. With a mixture of folklore and tales of a Traveller's life, bound together by Williamson and Campbell's friendship, A Traveller in Two Worlds is a unique insight into a man acclaimed as the best-known and best-loved storyteller in the English speaking world. Our friendship often seemed like a marriage: protestations of undying affection, jealousies, dramatic estrangements and reconciliations, ultimately a bond and underlying mutual affection. To be with Duncan always had an intensity. He was hungry to devour every moment, his joys transparent and fiery, his glooms dense and dampening as bleakest November. His appetite for company was insatiable and without it he was soon bored. I had never known anyone to be bored with such demonstrative and demanding conviction. I used to feed him people, elixirs. He sprang to life and charmed each one. Equally, his anger could simmer and erupt like Hekla, into clouds that lingered long and darkly over months. DAVID CAMPBELL ON DUNCAN WILLIAMSON
In the late summer of 1987 in my dusty, somewhat dilapidated, Ford Transit van I drew up in the backyard of Lizziewell’s Farm Cottage, by Auchtermuchty, Fife. He stood, John Wayne, at the back door scrutinising my approach with his vivid blue eyes, lacking only a holster and a six shooter.
‘Duncan Williamson!’ he announced.
‘David Campbell.’
‘bbc?’
‘Yes.’
‘You want to broadcast my story ‘Mary and the Seal’ on the radio?’
‘Yes.’
‘But you don’t like it the way it is!’
‘I love the story. I just don’t think it will fit into my 20 minute radio programme, but I love it.’
Stepping forward, he seized me in one of the hugs I came to know so well.
‘David Campbell, youse and me are going to be great friends. Come in.’
‘Wait a minute.’
I returned to the van and fetched a bottle of Glenfiddich.
That was the beginning of my first ceilidh and my see-saw, black and white, delightful and dreadful friendship and journeys with Duncan Williamson, his wife Linda, their children Tommy and Betsy; the Williamson family. Although I could not have guessed it at the time, this meeting was to set a future course and shape a new phase of my working and professional life.
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
David Campbell grew up in the story and song-rich North East of Scotland, where he acquired a lifelong passion for poetry and the power of the spoken word. He graduated with Honours in English from the University of Edinburgh, then worked with BBC Radio Scotland for many years on a wide variety of programmes. He also reviewed books and drama extensively in the Scottish press and has published poems and short stories in Scottish literary magazines. He co-wrote the children's book The Three Donalds (Scottish Children's Press, 1996), and wrote Tales to Tell I & II (St Andrews Press, 1986 and 1994) and Out of the Mouth of the Morning (Luath Press, 2009). Widely regarded as one of Scotland's finest storytellers and as a popular ambassador of Scottish lore and literature, he has toured worldwide with his repertoire of talks and stories. He currently lives in Edinburgh.