Whence Came a Prince

by Liz Curtis Higgs

  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<
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  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