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Isle of Skye: Latest Posts — Folklore |
Previous 10 | Showing 21-30 of 35 folklore posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
The Maidens (Natural Rock Feature) |
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"The Maidens themselves are three great rocks rising up out of the sea, a mother and her two daughters. At their feet the mermaids sit and comb their hair: very few see them but many hear their soft, unforgettable singing. Once a man lay long on the cliff top, watching the kites circling overhead and listening to the hum of the bees. Slowly the hum changed to a mermaid's song and he looked down and saw a mermaid and three seals on the rocks below. Somehow he got down the cliff unseen and caught, not the mermaid but one seal, a half-grown calf; as he held it the water round him boiled as with fish and out of it rose the heads of many mermaids. The one whom he had seen on the rocks still had a comb in her hand. She called to him and bade him release the baby seal and she would reward him. He agreed and asked for her golden comb as a reward. This she refused, but offered him instead three wishes, which offer he accepted but got no good of the wishes. One never does. The largest of the Maidens, in shape and general appearance, is not unlike the statues of Queen Victoria seated when seen from the sea. She is the Mother (Nic Cleosgeir Mhor) and is said to be perpetually weaving, while one daughter fulls or thickens and the other does nothing at all. Perhaps they are shadows of the old Norse Fates, the Nornir, two of whom spun the threads which are the lives of men, but the third did nothing except cut them when she chose, for she is blind." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, pp. 150-1. Swire remarks that Sir Walter Scott referred to these mighty rock formations as "The Choosers of the Slain" and "The Riders on the Storm", and suggests that he may have been aware of a tradition connecting this region of Skye with the Norse Valkyries, or Choosers of the Slain: "One night - it was the eve of that Good Friday upon which the Battle of Clontarff was fought in 1014 - a farmer who had been on the cliff top in search of a strayed beast found all the world suddenly dark and, looking up for the cause of the shadow, saw the twelve Valkyries hovering on their swans' wings over Healaval. They were weaving their dreadful web of death upon a loom of lances and the weights of the loom were men's heads. As they wove they sang (the translation by Gray is of a Caithness version of their song): Horror covers all the heathThe song ceased and the farmer saw the Valkyries tear the web into pieces and fly off with them, one half to the north, one half to the south, 'denoting the rending of the ancient faith'. There is no record of the Valkyries being ever seen again in Skye." - Ibid., pp. 151-2. A different tradition names the largest Maiden Ran, after: "the wife of the Norse godling or Vanir called Hler or Ygg or Oegir. It was Oegir's custom to lift his hoary head from the waves when about to call up a storm, to the undoing of ships. When she saw this sign his wife, Ran, made ready and sat fishing for sailors, whose spirits she imprisoned, until for her evil practices she and her maidens were themselves imprisoned in these stones. But they are neither dead nor helpless, for always Macleod's Maidens have been known to contain evil spirits who are wreckers of ships and drowners of men." - Ibid., p. 152. The Maidens' reputation as ship-wreckers is, according to Swire, entirely justified, and many sailor's lives have been lost there, not least (yet not only) because of one Campbell of Ensor, a smuggler and wrecker who "used the 'Black Skerries' at the Maidens' feet for his false lights". |
Posted by TomBo30th June 2004ce |
Dun Flodigarry (Broch) |
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"Not far from the house is a small mound and so green is its grass that none can doubt the fairies dance there. Indeed, their music has often been heard: once, a man joined them in the dance and disappeared, but was rescued when, exactly one year later, his brother flung a knife so that it stuck in his clothing. He believed he had only danced for an hour." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 48. The "house" to which Swire refers is Flodigarry House, "now a hotel", and the only ancient site marked nearby on the map is "Dunflodigarry", which I suspect to be a broch. Perhaps this is the "mound" which Swire mentions (it is certainly close enough to the hotel: its national grid reference is the one I've used for this site). However, there are hints of a wider prehistoric significance to this landscape, since Swire also describes two suspiciously "holy" sounding wells: "Near Flodigarry House, and not far from the shore, are two wells. Once there was only one spring here and from it the people of the township drew their water" (Ibid). These people, however, were half of them Christian and half pagan, and a bitter quarrel sprang up over the well, "each faction trying to prevent the other from using it". They appealed to St. Turog, a hermit resident on nearby Flodigarry Island, to resolve the dispute, and the saint agreed, meeting with them at the well. The people, however, became so furious in recounting their grievances to the saint that they "fell upon one another with sticks and stones", causing the hermit to hit the well with his staff, so that it dried up, and return to his island. Several days later a sheepish-looking deputation of people implored St. Turog to return their well, which they promised to share between them peacefully in future. The saint separated the people into two groups, pagan and Christian, and used his staff to create a well for each of them: "The people were delighted and surrounded the old man with shouts of joy. Then he bade them, lest they forget their folly, to go sunwise round each well on the first day of each month before filling their vessels and drop into the well an offering of gratitude for the water. This they promised to do ever after. The two springs sometimes overflow into the rock-pools below. Where one overflows can still be found holy relics, sacred medals and little carved crosses; below the other the finds are quite different, being beads, carved shells, and curios; but below both are small coins." - Swire, op. cit., p, 49. |
Posted by TomBo 30th June 2004ce |
Teampuill Chaon (Christianised Site) |
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"On the north bank lie the ruins of tiny Teampuill Chaon which face, as exactly as may be, the Teampuill Chaon of Boreraig on the opposite shore of Loch Eisort, likewise now a ruin. Close to the little chapel were once the two springs Tobar an Domhnaich (Well of the Lord) and Tobar na Sliante (Well of Health); near them stood the 'Stone of Healing' also. It would seem that though small, this chapel must once have been of some importance. Its holy-water stoup was for long preserved in Ord House. Tradition claims that the sanctity of this spot goes back to long before the Christian era. St. Comgan, it is said, came to Sleat specially to bless and consecrate the Well and Stone of Healing, but their healing gifts were far older than the saint. In those far-away days they were surrounded by a sacred wood and were treated with the respect they deserved. But times change, and the day came when an unbeliever visited the Well of Healing and washed his dirty hands in the good water to show himself superior alike to healing waters and ordinary courtesy. St. Choan saw and was displeased, and as the man rose to his feet, shaking his hands to dry them, the drops fell on dry ground. The healing spring had vanished, but not forever. It soon gushed forth again, crystal clear and pure, no longer on the chapel hill but below it on the sea-shore. Here it can still be seen, though its water is now piped to the Ord Hotel annexe. The Well of the Lord has also disappeared, but a curious circle of stone near the site of the old church may be the place where the water once rose." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, pp. 211-2. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
Port na Faganaich (Natural Rock Feature) |
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"Not far from Ardvasar is tiny Port na Faganaich, the Port (or Bay) of the Forsaken Ones. Here some great stones stand in the sea. One story tells how they were thrown there by the Fiennes when they were exercising in Knoydart: another makes them pagans who, having 'hearts of stone', would not repent at St. Columba's preaching, nor be baptized, and so became in time 'all stone like their hearts'. But the third story goes better with the Gaelic name. It tells how one night a party of young fishermen returning late from their fishing saw something splashing in the phosphorescent water. They approached quietly and found a number of seal-maidens who had sloughed off their seal-skins and were disporting themselves in the sea. So lovely were they that the youths stood entranced, all but one who ran away with their skins. As the first shafts of dawn light pierced the sky the maidens made for the rock, only to find themselves skinless. They wept and lamented and the boys, in honest ignorance of the skins' whereabouts, comforted them as best they coult. To cut a long story short, each seal-maiden married a young fisherman and they lived together in much happiness for a year, then the youth who had hidden the seal-skins had it 'laid upon him' to return them. That night came the call of the sea and the seal-maidens obeyed it. They could do no other. Their husbands, trying to hold them back, were turned into stones when they entered the sea with their wives. But the seal-maidens never forget and can be seen, by those who have the eyes to see, in the soft sea moonlight, each keeping tryst with her own stone." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, pp. 203-4. There is no sign of the name "Port na Faganaich" on the OS map of the area. There is, however, an ancient cairn marked on the seashore at Ardvasar, and since this is the only ancient monument that the map records in the vicinity of Ardvasar, I have used its national grid reference as the location of Port na Faganaich. I must admit, however, that I have my doubts as to whether or not this is the site Swire describes. The Port na Faganaich stones sound very much like they are actually in the water, and this cairn appears to be on dry land. The national grid reference given here, then, should be taken as a rough guide to the vicinity of the Port na Faganaich Selkie stones. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce Edited 30th June 2004ce |
Kilchriosd (Stone Circle) |
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"Not far from Aant Sithe the road passes the old churchyard and ruined church of Kilchriosd. Standing on a small mound by the roadside... this ancient graveyard is certainly older than the church itself and possibly older even than the stone circle near by. Most Skye burial-grounds are very old, partly perhaps because people have died since time immemorial and the number of suitable sites for a graveyard in Skye are strictly limited, but perhaps also because St. Columba never broke old customs and we, as a people, are very conservative... About half a mile beyond the ruins of Kilchriosd lies Loch Cil Chriosd. This loch seems to have been held in more than ordinary veneration from the earliest times. Near it, and not far from the road, a stone circle can still be seen, by no means so well preserved as those in the Lews but undoubtedly a circle, and traditionally a prehistoric 'temple'. Close to this circle is the site of the very early and tiny church of Kilcro, Church (or Cell) of the Circle, supposed to have been built on a site chosen by St. Columba himself and first occupied by the cell of one of his followers. Near it is an ancient graveyard and here two very old and curious stones were once to be seen; one was said to bear a striking resemblance to a heathen or pagan idol or Cromcreaich. Once, Loch Cil Chriosd was haunted by a terrible monster (perhaps the pagan god Lugh himself?), which laid waste the land round about and carried off and devoured women and children. At last the creature was slain by St. Maelrhuba blessing the waters, ever since when the water of that loch has had certain virtues and healing powers. But some have believed that Loch Cil Chriosd was (or sprang from) that cursed stream 'beyond Drum Albyn in the countyr of the Picts' mentioned in Adamnan's Life of St. Columba. This spring, 'which senseless men, the Druids blinding their understanding, worshipped as a god', was believed to have the power to cause leprosy, blindness or intense weakness in those washed its water or drank it. The evil spirit in the water was propitiated by many sacrifices until St. Columba came to the loch side and, knowing its evil reputation, blessed the water and then both drank from it and washed. Adamnan states that a company of Druids stood by overjoyed, eagerly waiting for the god to show his powers. But the saint took no harm and since his blessing the waters have been pure and good for all men." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, pp. 219-21. The OS map has a somewhat enigmatic "rocking stone" at NG617203. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
Temple of Anaitis |
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"The Waternish road turns off to the north at Fairy Bridge, whence it runs along the valley of the Bay river. On the left of the road, though at some little distance from it, where the river cleaves its way through a gorge to the sea, stands the mound which is now all that remains of the 'Temple of Anaitis' (so called). What form of prehistoric building it was or of what period is not known. But Dr. Johnson visited Waternish to see it in 1773 and it was a mystery then as now. Its old Gaelic name is said to have been 'Teampuill-na-Annait', and so to have given rise to the Anaitis legend. This name of Annait or Annat is found all over Scotland. It has been interpreted as meaning the 'Water-place' from Celtic 'An' = water, because many are near water. Others suggest 'Ann' = a circle (Celtic) and claim that most Annats are near standing stones. The most-favoured derivation seems to be from Ann, the Irish mother of the Gods, and those who hold this view claim that the Annats are always near a revered spot, where either a mother-church or the cell of a patron saint once stood. Probably Annat does, in fact, come from an older, pre-Celtic tongue, and belongs to an older people whose ancient worship it may well commemorate. The curious shape of the Waternish Temple of Anaitis and its survival make it seem likely that it was something of importance in its day, built with more than usual care and skill. Perhaps the Temple tradition is correct - but whose, if so, and to what gods? One cannot help wondering if cats played any part in its ritual, and if so, if any faint memory remains, for the nickname of the people of this wing was 'Na Caits' = The Cats, and not far off, by one of the tributary burns on the right of the roadway, there stands a small cairn, crowned by a long, sharp stone somewhat resembling a huge claw. This is the 'Cats' Cairn'." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, pp. 94-5. The Cats' Cairn (NG271526) is said to mark the grave of a young eighteenth century boy, who was buried where he died. Whilst sheltering from a storm in a derelict cottage one day he saw three cats that transformed themselves into witches. They "put the fear" upon him, so that he would tell no-one of what he had seen, promising to kill him if he breathed a word of them. His terror was so great, however, causing him to stop sleeping and eating, that his mother knew something was wrong and persuaded him to reveal all. A year later he was found dead on the moor: "he appeared to have been done to death by long, sharp claws" (Swire, p. 97). A further example of this kind of Annait place-name can be found elsewhere on Skye at Clach na h'annait. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce Edited 30th June 2004ce |
The Raven's Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
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"Overlooking Elgol is Bidein an Fhithich. Near here once stood the famous Raven's Stone, about which the Brahn Seer prophesied. It is believed that this prophecy, however, can never be fulfilled, as seventy or eighty years ago the stone was broken up and the main portion of it is now incorporated in one wall of the Glendale church, according to the Rev. A. R. Forbes' Place Names of Skye. The stone was believed to have had some connexion with old pagan religious ceremonies." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 230. The Brahn (or more commonly Brahan) Seer was Coinneach Odhar, a sixteenth century prophet who is said to have foretold the Battle of Culloden, the Highland Clearances and the coming of the railways. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
Clachan Fhuarain (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
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"Having crossed the Dunach burn the road runs for two or three miles across Druim an Fhuarain, so called from Clachan Fhuarain (the Well Stone), an enormous stone, estimated to weigh over two tons, which one of Cuchullin's companions flung here when he was practising 'putting the weight' in the Isle of Soay." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 225. Unfortunately, Swire gives no precise details of this stone's exact location. There is a spring on Druim an Fhuarain, however, called Tobar Ceann, and since the word "Tobar" indicates a well I have used its location here when giving the map reference of the Well Stone. It should be understood, however, that this is intended to give you an indication of the general vicinity, not the precise site, of this stone. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
Clach Oscar (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
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"This great stone commemorates one of the Fienne giants, Oscar, that illustrious one 'whose banner never went a foot back until the grey earth trembled'. He is reputed to have flung the stone there fom a neighbouring hilltop when suffering from high spirits." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 223. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
An Sithean (Chambered Cairn) |
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"Aant Sithe, a green mound close to the roadway on the right-hand side. This, as its name implies, is a fairy place. On clear moonlight nights the fairies can be seen dancing on the grass that surrounds the central stone and anyone approaching quietly and with a receptive mind may hear the wonderful strains of fairy music issuing from the ground. What the mound was before it was a fairy dwelling is something of a mystery. In the centre of the summit stands a large stone, perhaps once a 'standing stone' but now closely resembling a broken tooth. Round it is a ring of grass, and then a ring of stone much over-grown; from this stone ring or circle run causeways (or perhaps old fortificaitons or walls), like the rays of a star, to the low ground around it." - Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 219. The OS map identifies An Sithean as a chambered cairn, also recording some hut circles to the east of the site. |
Posted by TomBo 28th June 2004ce |
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