Gobborn Seer

There was once a man named Gobborn Seer, and he had a son named Jack. One day he sent Jack out to sell a sheepskin. "You must bring back both the skin and the money for it," said Gobborn. So Jack set off, but he couldn't find anyone who would let him keep the skin and also pay for it. He came home discouraged. "Never mind," said Gobborn Seer, "you must try again tomorrow."The next day Jack tried again, but still nobody wished to buy the skin on those terms. When he came home, his father said, "You must go and try your luck again tomorrow." The third day it seemed like it would be the same story, and Jack had half a mind to run away rather than face his father's disappointment. As he walked along, he came to a bridge, much like the Creek Road bridge you might know. He leaned over the parapet, deep in thought, wondering whether it would be foolish to run away from home. Just then he noticed a girl washing clothes on the bank below.

She looked up and said, "If it's not too forward to ask, what troubles you so?""My father gave me this skin, and I must return home with both the skin and its price," said Jack."Is that all?" the girl replied. "Give it to me; it's easy enough."

So she took the skin, washed it in the stream, and carefully removed the wool. She then paid him for the value of the wool, and returned the cleaned skin to him to carry back home.Jack's father was delighted. "That was a clever woman," he said. "She would make you a good wife. Do you think you could find her again?" Jack thought he could, so his father told him to go to the bridge later and see if she was there, and if so, to invite her to tea that evening.Jack went to the bridge, and sure enough, the girl was there. He told her that his old father wished to meet her and asked if she would do them the honor of having tea with them. The girl thanked him kindly and said she could come the next day, as she was too busy at that moment."All the better," said Jack, "for I'll have time to prepare." When she arrived, Gobborn Seer could see at once that she was a shrewd young woman. He asked her if she would marry his son Jack, and she agreed.

So they were married.Not long afterward, Gobborn Seer told Jack that they must go and build the finest castle ever seen, for a king who wanted to outshine all other kings with his wondrous palace. As they set out on the long journey to lay the foundation stone, Gobborn said to Jack, "Can't you find a way to shorten the road for me?"Jack looked ahead at the long, winding road and said, "Father, I don't see how I could cut even a step off it.""Then you're no use to me," said Gobborn. "You had better turn back home."So poor Jack turned back. When he arrived home, his wife saw him alone and asked, "Why have you come back by yourself?" Jack told her what his father had said and how he had answered."You foolish man," said his clever wife, "if you had told a story, you would have made the way seem shorter. Now listen while I tell you a tale, and then hurry after Gobborn Seer.

As soon as you catch up with him, begin telling it, for he will enjoy it, and before you finish, you'll be at the foundation stone."So Jack hurried and overtook his father. Gobborn Seer said not a word, but Jack began his story, and indeed the road seemed much shorter, just as his wife had promised.When they finally reached their destination, they started building the castle that was to outshine all others. Now the clever wife had advised them to be friends with the servants, so they did as she suggested, greeting them warmly as they passed in and out.After a full year, wise Gobborn had built such a magnificent castle that thousands of people gathered to admire it. The king said, "The castle is complete.

Tomorrow I shall return and pay you all.""I just have a ceiling to finish in an upper hallway," said Gobborn, "and then it lacks nothing."But after the king had left, the housekeeper sent for Gobborn and Jack and told them she had been watching for a chance to warn them. "The king is afraid that you will take your skills elsewhere and build an even finer castle for another king," she said. "He means to have you killed tomorrow."Gobborn told Jack to keep up his courage, for they would find a way out.When the king returned, Gobborn told him, "I have not been able to finish the ceiling, for I lack a special tool that I left at home. I should like to send Jack to fetch it.""No, no," said the king. "Can one of my men go instead?""They would not know what to look for," replied the Seer. "Only Jack can fetch it.""But I order that you and your son remain here," said the king.

"How would it be if I send my own son?""That would do," said Gobborn.So the king's son was sent with a message to Jack's wife: "Give him Crooked and Straight!"Now there was a little hole in the wall, rather high up, and Jack's wife tried to reach a chest kept there, where the "crooked and straight" was stored. She asked the king's son to help her, for he was tall and his arms were long.

But when he leaned over the chest, she caught him by the ankles, shoved him in, and fastened the lid down. So there he stayed, both crooked and straight!When she brought him pen and ink, as he begged, she did not let him out but bored holes in the chest so he could breathe. He wrote a letter to his father, the king, saying that he would not be released until Gobborn Seer and Jack were safe back home.When the king received the letter, he realized he must pay Gobborn for his work and let them go home.As they were leaving, Gobborn told Jack, "Now that you have finished this work, you shall build an even finer castle for your clever wife."And indeed, Jack built her a castle far superior to the king's, and they lived there happily ever after.