SGIAN DUBH (The Black Knife). Scottish, Jig (6/8 time). B Minor (Kerr, Miller): C Minor (Athole). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Kerr): AAB (Athole): AA’B (Miller). The sgian dubh (pron: 'skeean do'), or 'black dagger/knife', is the small knife worn in the stocking of a kilted Scotsman. Although quite sharp, it is considered a utensil and therefore is allowed to be worn into another's home when visiting. It is the sharpest object allowed to be worn into the House of Commons, though they were supposedly temporarily confiscated by the United States Secret Service during a White House affair.
Additional notes
Source for notated version: -
Printed sources : - Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 2), c. 1880’s; No. 319, p. 35. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 8, p. 18 (appears as “The Black Knife”). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 141.
