His bridle frae my mow.—P. [388]. v. 1.
The popular tradition is here faithfully described; and, strange to tell! has not yet lost all credit. In the following verses, the principal articles of the vulgar creed in Angus, with respect to this supposed being, are brought together and illustrated by such facts as are yet appealed to by the credulous. If I mistake not, none of the historical circumstances mentioned are older than half a century. It is only about thirty years since the bridge referred to was built.
For sair-brizz'd back and banes.—P. [388]. v. 2.
It is pretended that Kelpie celebrated this memorable event in rhyme; and that for a long time after he was often heard to cry, with a doleful voice,
"Sair back and sair banes,
Carryin' the laird of Murphy's stanes."
And it thai Kelpie namit.—P. [388]. v. 3.
A head, like that of a gorgon, appears above the arch of the bridge. This was hewn in honour of Kelpie.
His shroud I had prepar'd.—P. [390]. v. 3.
A very common tale in Scotland is here alluded to by the poet. On the banks of a rapid stream the water spirit was heard repeatedly to exclaim, in a dismal tone, "The hour is come, but not the man;" when a person coming up, contrary to all remonstrances, endeavoured to ford the stream, and perished in the attempt. The original story is to be found in Gervase of Tilbury.—In the parish of Castleton, the same story is told, with this variation, that the by-standers prevented, by force, the predestined individual from entering the river, and shut him up in the church, where he was next morning found suffocated, with his face lying immersed in the baptismal font. To a fey person, therefore, Shakespeare's words literally apply:
---- Put but a little water in a spoon,
And it shall be as all the ocean,
Enough to swallow such a being up.