Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland / Collected Entirely from Oral Sources
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, by John Gregorson Campbell
SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND
PUBLISHED BY JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS, GLASGOW, Publishers to the University.
MACMILLAN AND CO., LONDON AND NEW YORK.
MCM.
Glasgow James MacLehose and Sons Publishers to the University 1900
GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO.
This volume is the result of many years’ labour by the late Rev. John Gregorson Campbell, while minister of Tiree during the years 1861—to 1891.
Much of the material was already collected before Mr. J. F. Campbell of Islay published his Popular Tales of the West Highlands in 1860, and readers of Lord Archibald Campbell’s volumes on Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition are already acquainted with the valuable work contributed to that series by the Rev. J. Gregorson Campbell.
It is hoped that this volume on the Superstitions of the Scottish Highlands , full as it is of racy stories, may throw fresh light on an extremely interesting subject.
The MS. of a corresponding work by the same author on Witchcraft and Second-Sight in the West Highlands , is in the editor’s hands, and in the event of the present work meeting with the reception which the editor thinks it deserves, the volume on Witchcraft will be published next year.
Mrs. Wallace, Hynish, Tiree, the author’s sister, has kindly read the proofs.
John Gregorson Campbell
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EDITOR’S NOTE.
PREFACE.
CONTENTS
NAMES GIVEN TO FAIRIES.
THE SIZE OF FAIRIES.
FAIRY DWELLINGS.
FAIRY DRESSES.
THE DEFECTS OF FAIRIES.
THEIR OCCUPATIONS.
FESTIVITIES.
FAIRY RAIDS.
WHEN SEEN.
FOOD.
GIFTS BESTOWED BY FAIRIES.
LOANS.
EDDY WIND.
RAIN AND SUNSHINE, WIND AND RAIN.
FAIRY ARROWS, ETC.
CATTLE.
HORSES.
DOGS.
CATS.
FAIRY THEFT.
STEALING WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
CHANGELINGS.
DEFORMITIES.
NURSES.
THE MEN OF PEACE.
THE BEAN NIGHE, OR WASHING WOMAN.
SONG.
GLAISTIG.
ELFIN QUEEN.
PROTECTION AGAINST FAIRIES.
LURAN.
THE CUP OF THE MACLEODS OF RAASA.
THE FAIRIES ON FINLAY’S SANDBANK.
PENNYGOWN FAIRIES.
BEN LOMOND FAIRIES.
CALLUM CLARK AND HIS SORE LEG.
THE YOUNG MAN IN THE FAIRY KNOLL.
BLACK WILLIAM THE PIPER.
THE HARRIS WOMAN AND HER BAKING.
LIFTED BY THE FAIRIES.
FAIRIES COMING TO HOUSES.
THE LOWLAND FAIRIES.
FAIRIES STEALING WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
READY WIT REPULSES THE FAIRIES.
KINDNESS TO A NEGLECTED CHILD.
THE BRIDEGROOM’S BURIAL.
THE CROWING OF THE BLACK COCK.
THROWING THE ARROW.
THE WOMAN STOLEN FROM FRANCE.
CHANGELINGS.
TAKING AWAY COWS AND SHEEP.
DWELLINGS.
FAIRY ASSISTANCE.
THE BATTLE OF TRAI-GRUINARD.
DUINE SÌTH, MAN OF PEACE.
BEAN SHITH, ELLE WOMAN, OR WOMAN OF PEACE.
DONALD THRASHED BY THE FAIRY WOMAN.
IONA BANSHI.
TIREE BANSHI.
MACPHIE’S BLACK DOG.
DONALD, SON OF PATRICK.
THE WIFE OF BEN-Y-GHLOE.
FAIRY WOMEN AND DEER.
THE GRUAGACH BAN.
DEER KILLED AT NIGHT.
FAIRIES AND GOATS.
FAIRIES AND COWS.
FAIRY COWS.
THE THIRSTY PLOUGHMAN.
THE FAIRY CHURNING.
MILK SPILT.
FAIRY MUSIC.
MACCRIMMON.
FAIRY DOGS (‘CU SITH’).
DOGS CHASING FAIRIES.
FAIRIES AND HORSES.
FAIRIES AND THE HANDMILL.
FAIRIES AND OATMEAL.
FAIRIES AND IRON.
NAME OF THE DEITY.
FAIRY GIFTS.
STRUCK BY THE FAIRY ARROW SPADE.
I. THE GLAISTIG.
II. THE GRUAGACH.
III. BROWNIE.
THE URISK.
THE MERMAID.
FARMERS AND WATER-HORSES.
MAC-FIR AROIS.
THE TALKING HORSE AT CRU-LOCH.
ISLAND OF COLL.
THE NINE CHILDREN AT SUNART.
KILLING THE RAASAY WATER-HORSE.
THE WATER-HORSE AT LOCH CUAICH.
THE WATER-HORSE AT TIREE.
WATER-HORSE AND WOMEN.
THE WATER-HORSE AT LOCH BASIBOL, TIREE.
THE KELPIE.
THE KING OTTER.
BIASD NA SROGAIG.
THE BIG BEAST OF LOCHAWE.
PREMONITIONS.
DIVINATION.
THE BLACK ART.
CARD-PLAYING.
RED BOOK OF APPIN.
COMING FOR THE DYING.
MAKING THE DEVIL YOUR SLAVE.
COMING MISFORTUNE.
THE BUNDLE OF FERN.
THE PIG IN THE INDIGO POT.
AMONG THE TAILORS.
TAGHAIRM, OR “GIVING HIS SUPPER TO THE DEVIL.”
GLAS GHAIRM—POWER OF OPENING LOCKS.
FOOTNOTES
