HUDDEN and DUDDEN
by Unknown · from Celtic Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once, there was a clever man named Tom. He lived in a small house. Hudden and Dudden lived next door. They had much money. They did not like Tom.
Hudden and Dudden took Tom's cow. Tom sold its skin. He got much money. He said the skin was magic. It was a clever trick.
The brothers believed Tom. They made their cows go away. They sold the skins. They got no money. People laughed at them. The brothers were very angry.
Hudden and Dudden were very angry. They found Tom. They pushed Tom. They pushed him to a big, muddy puddle. They wanted him to go away.
Tom saw a pig in the puddle. He was very quick. He let the pig out. He went into the pig's place. The brothers did not see this.
The brothers came back. They threw the pig in. They thought it was Tom. Tom said, "The puddle made me rich!" He said, "It changed the pig."
Hudden and Dudden were very greedy. They wanted to be rich too. Tom sold them the muddy puddle. They gave Tom much money. Tom was happy.
The brothers found Tom again. They were very mad. They caught Tom. They put him in a big sack. They tied the sack. They took him to the river.
The brothers went away. Tom was in the sack. He cried out loud. "I do not want the princess!"
A man with sheep walked by. He heard Tom's words. He wanted to marry a princess. He let Tom out of the sack. He got into the sack.
Tom took the man's sheep. He ran far away. Hudden and Dudden came back. They threw the sack in the river. The man went away.
Tom went home with many sheep. He was very rich now. Hudden and Dudden saw him. They were very surprised. "How are you here?" they asked.
Tom smiled at them. He said, "The river took me down. I found a magic place. There were many sheep there. I saw the other man too."
Hudden and Dudden were very greedy. They wanted more sheep. They put themselves in sacks. They jumped in the river. They did not come back.
Tom was happy. He was clever. Hudden and Dudden were not clever. They were too greedy. They did not come back.
Original Story
VI. HUDDEN AND DUDDEN.
Source.—From oral tradition, by the late D. W. Logie, taken down by Mr. Alfred Nutt.
Parallels.—Lover has a tale, "Little Fairly," obviously derived from this folk-tale; and there is another very similar, "Darby Darly." Another version of our tale is given under the title "Donald and his Neighbours," in the chapbook Hibernian Tales, whence it was reprinted by Thackeray in his Irish Sketch-Book, c. xvi. This has the incident of the "accidental matricide," on which see Prof. R. Köhler on Gonzenbach Sicil. Mährchen, ii. 224. No less than four tales of Campbell are of this type (Pop. Tales, ii. 218-31). M. Cosquin, in his "Contes populaires de Lorraine," the storehouse of "storiology," has elaborate excursuses in this class of tales attached to his Nos. x. and xx. Mr. Clouston discusses it also in his Pop. Tales, ii. 229-88. Both these writers are inclined to trace the chief incidents to India. It is to be observed that one of the earliest popular drolls in Europe, Unibos, a Latin poem of the eleventh, and perhaps the tenth, century, has the main outlines of the story, the fraudulent sale of worthless objects and the escape from the sack trick. The same story occurs in Straparola, the European earliest collection of folk-tales in the sixteenth century. On the other hand, the gold sticking to the scales is familiar to us in Ali Baba. (Cf. Cosquin, l.c., i. 225-6, 229).
Remarks.—It is indeed curious to find, as M. Cosquin points out, a cunning fellow tied in a sack getting out by crying, "I won't marry the princess," in countries so far apart as Ireland, Sicily (Gonzenbach, No. 71), Afghanistan (Thorburn, Bannu, p. 184), and Jamaica (Folk-Lore Record, iii. 53). It is indeed impossible to think these are disconnected, and for drolls of this kind a good case has been made out for the borrowing hypotheses by M. Cosquin and Mr. Clouston. Who borrowed from whom is another and more difficult question which has to be judged on its merits in each individual case.
This is a type of Celtic folk-tales which are European in spread, have analogies with the East, and can only be said to be Celtic by adoption and by colouring. They form a distinct section of the tales told by the Celts, and must be represented in any characteristic selection. Other examples are xi., xv., xx., and perhaps xxii.
Story DNA
Moral
Cunning and quick wit can overcome brute force and malice, often turning the tables on the wicked.
Plot Summary
Tom, a poor but clever man, is repeatedly targeted by his envious, wealthy neighbors, Hudden and Dudden. After Tom tricks them into believing his cow hide brought him wealth, they kill their own cows for nothing. They attempt to drown Tom in a bog, but he escapes by swapping with a pig and then sells them the 'magic' bog. Finally, tied in a sack and about to be drowned in a river, Tom tricks a passing drover into taking his place by claiming he's being forced to marry a princess. Tom escapes with the drover's sheep, and the brothers, believing Tom's lie about a magical underwater country, drown themselves in their greed.
Themes
Emotional Arc
persecution to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale belongs to a widespread European folk-tale type, with parallels found across various cultures, suggesting ancient origins and transmission.
Plot Beats (14)
- Tom, a poor man, lives next to his rich, envious neighbors, Hudden and Dudden.
- Hudden and Dudden steal Tom's cow, but Tom sells its hide for a surprisingly large sum of money, claiming it's due to the hide's magic.
- The brothers, believing Tom's lie, kill their own cows to sell their hides, but receive nothing and are mocked by the buyers.
- Enraged, Hudden and Dudden decide to kill Tom by throwing him into a bog.
- Tom, seeing a pig in the bog, quickly swaps places with it before the brothers return.
- The brothers throw the pig into the bog, thinking it's Tom, and Tom then tricks them into believing the bog transformed the pig into a man.
- Tom sells the 'magic' bog to Hudden and Dudden for a large sum of money.
- The brothers, realizing they've been tricked again, catch Tom, tie him in a sack, and plan to drown him in the river.
- While left alone by the river, Tom cries out that he doesn't want to marry the king's daughter.
- A passing drover, hearing Tom's cries, is intrigued by the prospect of marrying a princess and agrees to take Tom's place in the sack.
- Tom escapes with the drover's sheep, and the drover is drowned by Hudden and Dudden.
- Tom returns home wealthy, and when the brothers see him alive, they are astonished.
- Tom tells them he found a magical country at the bottom of the river, where he got the sheep and saw the drover.
- Hudden and Dudden, greedy for more wealth, tie themselves in sacks and jump into the river, drowning themselves.
Characters
Hudden
A burly, strong man of average height, with a robust build indicative of a farmer or laborer. His hands are calloused, and his face is weathered from outdoor work. He has a generally stern and imposing presence.
Attire: Practical, sturdy clothing typical of a 19th-century Irish farmer: a thick, dark wool waistcoat over a homespun linen shirt, sturdy corduroy trousers, and heavy leather boots. His clothes are well-worn but clean, reflecting his industrious nature.
Wants: To acquire wealth and property, specifically to take advantage of and ultimately dispossess his neighbor, Dudden, and later, the poor man.
Flaw: His overwhelming greed and overconfidence, which ultimately lead to his downfall.
Starts as a successful schemer, but his greed and cruelty lead him to be outsmarted and ultimately killed by the poor man he tried to exploit.
Greedy, cunning, envious, and ruthless. He is driven by a desire for wealth and is willing to resort to violence and deceit to achieve his goals.
Dudden
A man of similar build to Hudden, perhaps slightly less imposing but still strong and capable of physical labor. His features are also rugged from outdoor life.
Attire: Similar practical, sturdy clothing to Hudden, perhaps a slightly different color palette but still indicative of a 19th-century Irish farmer: a dark tweed jacket over a simple shirt, dark trousers, and worn leather boots.
Wants: To acquire wealth and property, mirroring Hudden's desires, and to participate in the exploitation of the poor man.
Flaw: His greed and his willingness to follow Hudden's lead, which ultimately leads to his downfall.
Like Hudden, he starts as a schemer but is ultimately outsmarted and killed by the poor man he tried to exploit.
Greedy, envious, and complicit in Hudden's schemes. He is less proactive than Hudden but equally willing to benefit from exploitation.
The Poor Man
A lean man, perhaps a bit gaunt from hardship, but with an underlying wiry strength. His height is average, and his movements are quick and resourceful.
Attire: Simple, patched, and faded clothing typical of a poor Irish peasant in the 19th century: a thin, patched homespun linen shirt, worn brown wool trousers, and perhaps a threadbare waistcoat. His shoes are likely worn leather brogues or even bare feet, depending on the severity of his poverty.
Wants: To survive the attempts on his life by Hudden and Dudden, and to turn their malicious intentions against them to secure his own well-being.
Flaw: His initial poverty and vulnerability make him an easy target, but he quickly overcomes this with his wit.
Transforms from a vulnerable victim into a triumphant trickster, using his intelligence to overcome and ultimately destroy his oppressors, securing wealth and safety for himself.
Resourceful, cunning, intelligent, resilient, and ultimately vengeful. He is driven by survival and a desire to overcome his oppressors.
The Old Woman
A frail, elderly woman, stooped with age, with thin limbs and a generally delicate appearance. She is of short stature.
Attire: Simple, traditional Irish peasant clothing: a dark, long-sleeved dress made of homespun wool, a white linen apron, and a shawl draped over her shoulders. Her clothes are clean but worn.
Wants: To help the poor man, believing him to be in distress, and to fulfill his request.
Flaw: Her trusting nature and lack of suspicion, which makes her vulnerable to manipulation.
She is a static character, serving as a plot device for the poor man's escape.
Kind, trusting, and somewhat naive. She is easily deceived by the poor man's cunning.
Locations
The Poor Man's Cottage
A humble, small Irish cottage, likely with whitewashed stone walls, a thatched roof, and a simple hearth. The interior would be sparse but tidy, with basic wooden furniture.
Mood: Initially humble and content, later filled with anxiety and desperation.
The poor man lives here, and it's where he initially possesses his single cow before being tricked by Hudden and Dudden.
Hudden and Dudden's Farmyard
A bustling and prosperous Irish farmyard, likely with several outbuildings, stone walls, and well-kept fields. It would be larger and more organized than the poor man's simple dwelling, reflecting their wealth.
Mood: Busy, prosperous, but also a place of trickery and malice.
This is where Hudden and Dudden live and where they plot their schemes against the poor man.
The Deep River
A significant, flowing river, deep enough to drown a person. Its banks would likely be overgrown with typical Irish riverside vegetation like reeds, rushes, and perhaps some willow trees. The water would appear dark and cold.
Mood: Foreboding, dangerous, a place of intended doom.
This is where Hudden and Dudden intend to drown the poor man, but he cleverly escapes the sack.