A very popular reel. In the USA it is usually called ‘The Devil’s Dream’.

There are many traditional stories about how timid tailors were frightened by real or pretend evil figures, but now and then the tailor outwits the evil person.

In old times people made their own thread and wove their own cloth, then waited for the travelling tailor to come and cut and sew their cloth into clothing.

Listen to 'Deil Among the Tailors', performed on the fiddle by Charlie Bremner.
From The Caledonian Companion (Instrumental Music From Scotland) CDTRAX9051 (May 1998), Greentrax Recordings

'Deil Among the Tailors', performed by Willie Hunter on the fiddle and Violet Tulloch on the piano
From Leaving Lerwick Harbour CDTRAX105 (March 1996) and Fiddles of Scotland (Celtic Collections vol 5) CDGMP8005 (October 2000) Greentrax Recordings

'Deil Among the Tailors', performed on the accordion by Jimmy Shand
From master tape T3426. From the Alan Lomax Collection at the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress. Used courtesy of the Association for Cultural Equity.

'Deil Among the Tailors', performed on the harp by Heather Yule
Recorded for Learning and Teaching Scotland for Scotland’s Songs.