How do marriage and impending motherhood help Rose mature? Leana tells her, “ ’Tis Jamie’s love for you and yours for him that make you fearless.” Do you agree? What else might make Rose fearless? If you’ve read Fair Is the Rose, how have your feelings toward her changed after reading this novel? From your viewpoint does Rose become a true heroine at the last?
In what way is Rose like her father, and how is she different? If Rose were your daughter, how might you have counseled her at the pivotal moment she is alone in the spence with Lachlan’s money box? What do you think of Rose’s solution for distributing the stolen gold? What would you have done with it? How might things have been different if Rose had told Jamie from the beginning?
The epigraphs that begin each chapter are meant to link the previous scene with the current one or to hint at what’s to come. In what ways do Sir Walter Scott’s words at the start of chapter 42 epitomize Jamie’s dilemma? Choose an epigraph that you especially like. How does that quote foreshadow the scene it introduces?
True to this period in Scottish history, religion plays a major role in the day-to-day lives of these Lowlanders. How would you define Leana’s relationship with God? What of Jamie’s faith? and Rose’s? Which one of the three most closely parallels your own spiritual journey? God promises, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” What evidence do you find of his steadfastness in this story?
Throughout much of the novel Leana finds herself in a very difficult situation, offering her sister loving support even as she, too, carries Jamie’s child. How would you characterize Leana—a role model? a martyr? a righteous woman? a fool? Do you empathize with her plight? What other options appropriate to the late eighteenth century might Leana have explored?
Scottish folklore is replete with kelpies—water spirits that assume the form of a horse. John Mactaggart, in his Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia (1824), calls them “evil-disposed beings of the supernatural stamp.” On that fateful night in Moneypool Burn, was Jamie indeed wrestling with a kelpie? with mud and sand? with God? with his brother? with himself? How did the experience change him, and why?
Were you prepared for the story to take a tragic turn in Monnigaff? What feelings did those scenes with Rose evoke? Was anyone truly at fault for what happened? Did the emotional aftermath ring true to your own life experiences?
How would you define Jamie’s character at the start of this novel? Through his trials and tests in Gatehouse of Fleet, Ferrytown of Cree, and Monnigaff? And at the end of the story in Glentrool? Jamie sees in his wife’s eyes “a love he would spend the rest of his life trying to deserve.” Does Jamie in fact deserve her love? When all is said and done, has Jamie McKie earned the title of “prince,” of hero?
This reader’s guide opens with a quote from Sir John Denham, an Irish poet of the seventeenth century. Do you agree that books should lead to one of four ends: wisdom, piety, delight, or use? In reading Whence Came a Prince, what wisdom did you glean? Was there anything of spiritual significance for you? What engaged you most in the story? And how might you apply the lessons you’ve learned? If you were describing this series of three novels to a friend who enjoys fiction, what would you tell her?
Scots Glossary
a’—all
aboot—about
aflocht—in a flutter, agitated
aften—often
ain—own
amang—among
ane—one
anither—another
auld—old
awa—away, distant
ba—handful of coins tossed after wedding
bairn—child
baith—both
baloo—used to hush a child to sleep
bauld—bold
bethankit!—God be thanked!
bien—good, pleasant, comfortable
birk—birch
birsie—hairy, hot-tempered
bittie—small piece
blaw—blow
blether—jabber, gossip
blissin—blessing
blithesome—cheerful
bogle—ghost, specter
bothy—small cottage
bowsome—compliant, obedient
brae—hill, slope
brainwode—mad, insane
braisant—shameless
braw—fine, handsome
bridie—pasties made with meat
brig—bridge
brither—brother
broo—broth, soup
broon—brown
Buik—the Bible
burn—brook, stream
byre—cowshed
bystart—bastard
cabbieclaw—a dish of salt cod
campie—bold, brave
cantie—lively, cheerful, pleasant
cantrip—charm, magic, trick
clack—gossip, idle chatter
cleck—conceive
cliver—clever, quick
collieshangle—disturbance, dogfight
compear—appear before congregation for rebuke
coo—cow
crabbit—in a bad temper, cross
creepie—low chair, footstool
cryin siller—coins required for the marriage banns to be read
cutty stool—stool of repentance
dashelt—battered
daurk—dark
deid—dead
deid licht—strange light that foretells death
de’il—devil
dochter—daughter
dominie—schoolmaster, teacher
doocot—dovecote
doon—down
douce—amiable, sweet
dout—doubt
dowly—sad, doleful
dreich—bleak, dismal
dry stane dyke—stone fence without mortar
dwiny—wasting away, failing in health
eldritch—mysterious, unearthly
ell—a linear measure, just over a yard
Embrough—Edinburgh
etin—a giant
fairing—a present from a fair
faither—father
farle—segment of baked goods
fash—worry, trouble, vex
fauchie—sickly-looking
fause—counterfeit, false
fee—engage, hire
ferlie—superb, wonderful
fleg—frighten, scare
flindrikin—flirtatious
flit—move one’s household
flooer—flower
foord—ford, as a river
forby—besides, furthermore
fowk—folk
frae—from
freen—friend
fremmit—an outsider, a stranger
freshening—cool, refreshing, healthy
frichtsome—frightening
fu’—full
gaberlunzie—beggar
gairden—garden
gane—gone
gentrice—gentry
gie—give
girdle—griddle for cooking
glaumshach—greedy, grasping
glessie—toffee
glib-gabbit—gossipy
goud—gold
goun—gown
gracie—devout, virtuous
granbairn—grandchild
granmither—grandmother
green—young, youthful
gruntie—pig
guid—good
gustie—savory, tasty
halfgone—the middle period of pregnancy
halie—holy
hame—home
hatesome—hateful
haud—hold, keep
haud yer wheesht—hold your tongue
heartsome—merry
heidie—headstrong, impetuous
heirship—inheritance
heiven—heaven
herd—shepherd
het—hot
hind—farmworker
hindberry—raspberry
hizzie—hussy
hochmagandy—fornication
hoose—house<
br />
hough—hock; hind-leg joint of meat
howdie—midwife
hunder—hundred
hurlie—trundle, move about on wheels
ilka—each, every
ill-deedie—mischievous, wicked
ill-fashioned—ill mannered
ill-faured—ugly, unattractive
ill-gotten—illegitimate
ill-kindit—cruel, inhuman
ill-scrapit—rude, bitter
in trowth—indeed! upon my word!
ither—other
itherwise—otherwise
jalouse—imagine, presume, deduce
keel—means of marking sheep for identification
kell—headdress worn by a young, unmarried woman
kelpie—a water demon
ken—to know, recognize
kenspeckle—conspicuous, familiar
kimmer—godmother
kintra—of the country, rustic
kirkin—first appearance at kirk
kist—chest, coffin
kittlie—itchy, sensitive
kye—cow(s)
lanelie—lonely
lang—long
leuk—look
licht—light
limmer—prostitute
loosome—lovely
lowpin-on stane—leaping-on stone, used to mount a horse or a carriage
luve—love
lykewake—vigil kept over corpse
mainnerlie—mannerly
mair—more
maun—must
mebbe—maybe, perhaps
meikle—great, much
mem—madam
mercat—market
merry dancers—northern lights
mither—mother
mony—many
morn’s morn—tomorrow morning
mort-cloth—a pall covering a coffin
mote—a mound, an embankment
naither—neither
neep—turnip
nicht—night
niver—never
noo—now
noony—late morning meal
och!—oh!
onie—any
oniething—anything
oniewise—anyway, anywhere
oo aye!—yes! (from the French oui)
oot—out
orraman—odd-jobs man
Pasch—Easter
pensie—pompous, self-important
plenishing—goods, provisions
plumpshower—heavy downpour of rain
posy—term of endearment for a child
praisent—present, gift
pu’—pull
puir—poor
purpie—purslane, an herb
quaich—shallow drinking cup with handles
quate—quiet
raik—a journey, a trip
reiver—robber, thief
richt—right, authentic
run-line—psalm sung one line at a time
sae—so
saicret—secret
sair—sore
sairlie—sorely
sark—shirt
scaur-craw—scarecrow
scoonrel—scoundrel
shiel—shield
shooglie—shaky, wobbly
shortsome—amusing, enjoyable
shullin—shilling
sic—such
simmer—summer
sleekit—smooth-tongued, deceitful
slitterie—messy, sloppy
sma’—small
smeddum—courage, drive, energy
smirr—a fine, misty rain
smokies—smoked haddock
sonsie—substantial, appealing
speeritie—energetic, spirited, vivacious
spleet-new—brand-new
spurtle—porridge stick
stone—stone; also a measure of weight
staw—stole
stayed lass—an old maid
stramash—clamor, disturbance, uproar
suin—soon
sully—silly
sweetie-wife—female seller of sweets
swick—to cheat, swindle, deceive
swickerie—trickery, deception
syne—ago, thereafter, since
tablet—a sweet made of butter and sugar
tae—to
taigled—confused, hampered
tairt—tart, a promiscuous woman
tak—take
tapsalteerie—topsy-turvy, upside down
tassie—cup
tattie—potato
thar—there
thegither—together, concerted
thocht—thought, believed
thrifite—money box
tickler—problem, puzzle
tig—to tap the hand, as in playing tag
timorsome—timid, fearful, nervous
tocher—dowry
tod—fox
topsman—lead drover
tup—a ram
twa—two
ugsome—gruesome, horrible
unchancie—unlucky, dangerous, risky
unco—strange, eccentric, odd
unheartsome—sad, melancholy
unweel—unwell, sickly
verra—very
waddin—wedding
walcome—welcome
wame—womb
wark—work
warse—worse
warslin—wrestling
waukens—awakens
weatherful—stormy
weel—well
wha—who
whan—when
whanever—whenever
whatsomever—whatever
whaur—where
wheesht!—hush!
wi’—with
wickit—wicked
widdershins—counterclockwise
wi’oot—without
wird—word
wud—wood
wull—will
wunner—wonder
wutch—witch
wyne—wind, turn
yestermorn—yesterday morning
yestreen—yesterday, last night
Whence Came a Prince Page 58
