Gaelic Version A

The Gaelic version of the Seven Sages, surviving in only one manuscript in the National Library of Scotland, is incomplete. Only the final four stories remain - but according to Greene (1944), they accord closely with the details and pattern expected of the Version A tradition. This prose text differs sufficiently in style and detail from the Middle English Version A (which is a verse redaction) to preclude the English from being its source. Greene has instead proposed a Latin text of Version A, found in an Irish manuscript (Dublin Trinity College Library Ms 667), as a possible source text.

The National Library of Scotland's catalogue indicates that this text may be associated with an 'Alexander MacDonald' - who may potentially be identified as the famous Jacobite Gaelic poet Alasdair MacDhòmhnaill, also known as Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair.

General Information
Language within Version
Narrative / Scholarly Group
Parent Versions	A (Seven Sages)
Child Versions
Author
Title	Seven Wise Masters
Siglum of the version of the Seven Sages	A (Seven Sages)
Version Number
Branch of the tradition	West

Language & Composition
Original language of version	Gaelic
Translated into (languages)	Scots Gaelic
Place of composition
Date of composition	1690 - 1700
Source for date of composition	Greene (1944)

Literature & Editions
Modern research literature	Greene (1944)
Modern Editions	Greene, A Gaelic Version of "The Seven Wise Masters" (1944)

Recorded branch of this secondary version
A (Seven Sages) Dutch Version A Dutch Verse Version: Van den seven vroeden van binnen Rome French Version A: Roman des Sept Sages Group U Group V Group W Group X Group Y Group Z Gaelic Version A German Version A: Allegatio/Libellus Italian Version A Italian Prose (V) Libro dei Sette Savj (A) Storia favolosa di Stefano (S) Latin Version A Latin Version A: Allegatio / Libellus Middle English Version A Midland Version Y Group Northern English Southern English Old Swedish Version A: Sju vise mästare Old Swedish Redaction A Old Swedish Redaction B Older Scots Version A: Buke of the Sevyne Sagis Welsh Version A: Chwedleu Seith Doethon Rufein Early Modern and Modern Welsh Version A Middle Welsh Version A

Connected prints
No connected prints

Adaptations
Adapted from (version)	Latin Version A
Adapted into (version)
Source for composition and adaptation information	Greene (1944)

Languages in Use
Language of text	Gaelic
Regional or specific language of version	Scots Gaelic

Notes
Note
Notes on motifs
Notes on the frame

Pattern of embedded stories in this version

Has Short Title	Has Sequence Number	Has Narrator
Vidua	12	Sixth Master
Roma	13	Empress
Inclusa	14	Seventh Master

Connected manuscripts