Braes of Mellinish (The)

 BRAES OF MELLINISH, THE. AKA and see "Bruachan Mhelinis." Scottish, Pipe Jig or March. The popular march version is sometimes attributed to Captain MacKay (although others have been credited as well--Pipe Major John MacDonald from Melness, Sutherland, for one). The title perhaps refer to the lands of the Laird of Mellan, whose estates were near Loch Linnie, north of Perth. A tale is told of one of the lairds: Perth has long been known as the 'bonnie toun' on account of its lovely women. This dates back to the time of King Arthur. When he first ascended to his throne, he dispatched heralds to summon the most beautiful maidens in the land to Camelot to attend the first Tournament of his Knights of the Round Table. The fairest of all the girls that he saw there was Lady Guinevere, from Perth. It is said that he fell in love with her almost at first sight, and would not rest until she consented to become his bride. But her father, Hamish, Laird of Mellin, set him a task to perform to prove his worthiness before he would consent to the marriage. Arthur was asked to swim across Loch Linnie in the cold of December. So on the appointed day, Arthur went to the shore of the loch, stripped off his tunic and hose, and waded into the icy water. On Merlin's advice, he chose a part of the shore where the loch was narrow, and succeeded in reaching the other side in less than a minute, thus avoiding hypothermia. There is a children's rhyme"Frae Perth came Guinevere, to make the King revere, He saw her face in the Loch of the north, and never went more forth" The melody is sometimes referred to as "Kentigern Jig/Kentigern's Jig" after associations with the band Kentigern, who recorded the "Braes of Mellanish" on their 1979 album. Recorded source: Wildcat Records WILDCD 101, Ronan Martin - "Ronan Martin" (2008).

X:1 T:Braes of Mellanish (The) M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Pipe March K:Amix d2c BGB|A2a eAe|dGB A2::B|e2d cAC|d2c BGB|e2d cAC| cae cAc|e2d cAc|d2c BGB|A2a eAe|dBG A2:| A2a eAe|dGB A2::B|A2(a a2)a|g2 g BGB|A2(a a2)a| g2(a a2)a|g2(a a2)a|g2g BGB|A2a eAe|dGB A2:||
 * AAA AAA|d2c BGB|AAA AAA|g2f e2a|AAA AAA|
 * B|A2e e2e|dGd BGB|A2e e2e|f2f e2e|f2f e2e|dGd BGB|

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