You would imagine that the two hills mentioned have got to be Bennachie and Mither Tap. Elspet's Cairn was at NJ706298. It was trenched in 1849 and a cist with a skull and arrowheads/ axes were found. Nothing remains of it now, but it was on a noticeable bump, a couple of miles west of New Craig stone circle.On two hills in the Highlands of Aberdeenshire the Banshee had to be propitiated by the traveller over the hills. This was done by placing near a well on each hill a barley-meal cake marked on one side by a round figure O. If the cake was not left death or some dire calamity befell the traveller. On one occasion a woman had to cross one of the hills. She neglected to leave the customary offering. She paid the penalty. She died at a cairn not far from the well. The cairn bears the name of Cairn Alshish, i.e. Elspet's Cairn.
J. Farquharston, Corgarff. Notes on Beltane Cakes
J. Farquharson
Folklore, Vol. 6, No. 1. (Mar., 1895), p5.
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Posted by Rhiannon
13th April 2007ce
Edited 13th April 2007ce
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