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Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland

INDEX. (The figures refer to the page.)

Reading edition

A

Ailmeid (explained), 103

Alasdair Challum, tale of, 94

Alfs, 11

Annat, 29

Apollo, 193

Arabian Nights’ Entertainment, 132

Arasaig, 109, ff.

Ardnamurchan, 52, 55, 122, note; 183, 226

Arrows (fairy), 26, 154

Association-craft (assistance of the Folk), 98, 161

Augury, 250-257

omens, 251, 256, 257

outset of a journey, 253

unlucky animals, 254

unlucky to look back, 255

B

Bagpipes, 18

Bait-stone, 255, note

Baking, 232, 233

Banshee, 8, 22, 40, 44, 45, 51, 85, 107, 108, 118, 141

Barra, 59, 264

Bean-nighe (washing-woman), 42, 43

Beanshith, 8, 42, 102-105, 152, 157, 161

Beetles, 227

Beinn Feall, 96

Beltane (first night of summer), 18, 151, 234, 249

Ben Lawers, 275

Ben Lomond fairies, 60

Ben-y-Ghloe, 29, 94;

the wife of, 125, f.

Bernicle Goose, 221

Biasd na Grogaig, 217

Bible (a protection against fairies), 49, 168

Black Art, 285-288

Dog (see Macphie of Colonsay)

Donald, tale of, 68, 69

William the Piper, 65

Blue Men, 199, f.

Boat Language, 239

Breadalbane, 274

Bridge of Awe, tale from, 88, 89

Brownie, 157, 186-193, 195, 196, 198

C

Cailleach, 243, 244

Caithness, 220

Callum, tale, 103

Callum Clark, tale, 60, 61

“Calum Clever,” tale, 72

Cameron of Locheil, 122, note; 286, 287

Campbells, 177, 187, 227

Campbell’s West Highland Tales, 29, note; 59, 75, 116, 132, 190, 193

Leabhar na Feinne, 126, note

Cantyre, 117, 187

Carleton’s Tales and Stories, 48, note

Carlin of the Spotted Hill, 122, 123

Carlin Wife, 28

Cats (fairy), 32

“Cauld Lad of Hilton,” 188

Cere-cloth, 241

Chailleach, 243

Changelings, 38, 39, 90-92

Childbed (customs), 36, 37, 80

Children (deformities attributed to fairies), 39, 85

Clandonald, 117

Colkitto, 116

Coll, 69, 95, 96, 166, 208

Colonsay, 110, ff.

Connan, 291

Cows (and fairies), 134, 135, 137

Craignish, 52, 57

Cremona, 139

D

Deer, 109, 126, 132, ff.

Deiseal (right-hand turn), 35, 229, f.; 266

Devil, the, 289-312

Divination, 262-267

Dobhar (water), 217

Dogs (fairy), 30, 31, 109, 141, 144

(ordinary), 144-146, 191

Donald, son of John, 122, note

son of Patrick, 123, 124, 132

Dowart, 97

Dreams, 268

Druid, 193, 194

Duergar, 11

Duine sith (man of peace), 7, 101, note

Dundeacainn, 94

Dun Keneth, 272

Dunniquoich, 94

Du-sith (Black Elf) 101, note

E

Edda, 220

Eddy wind, 24, 25

Eels, 221

Elfin (see Fairies), and 1, note

Queen, 45

Elle Woman (see Bean shith)

Elves (see Fairies)

Emmet, 228

Euphemisms, 237

Ewen, tale of, 73

F

Fàgail (parting gift), 44, 154

Fairies

assistance from, 96-100

belief in, 1, 2

characteristics, 50, 51

churning, 137, 138

coming to houses, 73-76

defects, 15

dresses, 14, 15

dwellings, 11-14, note; 93-96

fallen angels, 199

festivities, 16, 18

food, 21

gifts, 22, 23, 153, 154

lifting by, 69-72

loan to, 58

Lowland, 76-78

metamorphosis, 109, 126, note 132, 133

music, 138, 139

names given to, 3-9

occupations, 15, 16, 161

Pennygown, 59

protection against, 46, 49

raids, 92, 93

seen when, 21

size of, 9, 11

stealing women and children, 78, ff.

thefts by, 32, ff.

Fallaid cake, 48, 232, 233

Fallen angels, 199, 283

Familiar spirit, 8, 41

Faroe Islands, 191

Ferintosh, 62

Finlay’s Sandbank, tale of, 57, ff.

Flounder, 223

Folk, see fairies’ names and, 11

Funerals, customs at, 241, f.

G

Gaël, 139

Gaïch catastrophe, 300, ff.

Gigelorum, 220

Glaisein, 190

Glaisrig (see Glaistig)

Glaistig, 44, 45, 146, note; 155, ff.; 184, 190, 191

at Ardnadrochit, 175

at Baugh, 176

in Coll, 166

in Craignish, 173

at Dunolly, 166

Dunstaffnage C., 164

Garlios, 173, f.

Glenduror, 162

Glenorchy, 171

Hianish, 177

Inverawe House, 164

at Iona, 179

at Mearnig C., 166

in Mull, 179, 180, 183

at Sleat, 165

at Sron-Charmaig, 162, f.

in Strathglass, 167

at Strontian, 177, f.

at Ulva, 178

Glas Ghairm, 311

Glencoe, 265

Graham’s Highlands of Perthshire, 7, 198

Greenock, 6

Greogach (Gruagach)

Gruagach, 156, 157, 165, 184, ff.; 193

H

Hallowe’en, 61

Hallowmass, 18, 260

Hand mills (see Querns)

“Happy Hog”, 99

Harris (district), 62, 136, 201, 222

Woman of, 66, f.

Harvest Maiden, 20

Hebrides, 6, 149, 199, 269

North, 14, 126, 199

Herring, 222

Highland Society’s Dictionary, 157

Hinzelman, 191

Hobgoblin, 191

Horses, 30, 146-149

I

Imprecations, 277-281

Inveraray Castle, 54

Inverness-shire, 197

Iona, 62, 93, 107

Ireland, 127

King of, 132, 133, 184

Iron (and fairies), 152, f.

Islay, tales from, 86, 87, 100, 112, 117, 119

Isle of Man, 190

J

Johnson, Dr., 186

Jura, 112, 114, 121

K

Keightley’s Fairy Myth, 188, 190

Kelpie, the, 215

Kennavarra, haunted by fairies, 78, 138, 141

Kennedy, tale of, 298, f.

King Otter (water-dog), 216

Knap (see M‘Millan)

Kobold, 191

L

Labrador Indians, 90

Lachlan Oär, a tale of taghairm, 306, ff.

Lady of Lawers, her prophecies, 274, f.

Lammas day, 234, 249

Lamprey, 219

Lar Familiaris, 191

Lares, 191

Largs, 76, 78

Lavallan, 220

Leannan sith (fairy sweetheart), 8, 41, 45, 195

Leg cake, 234

Leyden, 117, 118

Lobster, 223

Lochaber, 28, 52, 56, 122, note; 123, 135

Loch Gruinard, tale of battle of, 100

Lorn, 123, 144, 162

Luran Black, tale of, 52-57

M

MacCallum, the hunter, 90

MacCodrums of the seals, 284

MacCrimmon, piper, 66, 138-141

MacCuaric (Kennedy), tale of, 168, 171

Macdonalds, 100

of Keppoch, 286

MacDuffies (Macphies), 116

Mac-fir Arois, tale of, 205, ff.

Mac-Ian Year (Mac Iain Ghiarr), tale of, 181, ff.

Mackenzie of Brahan, 286

M‘Lear, tale of, 97, 98

Sir Lachlan Moir, 100, 101, note

Macleod (Clan), 269

Macleod’s Fairy Banner, 5

Macleod of Macleod, 139

Macleods of Raasa, 57

of Skye, 5, 241

M‘Millan of Knap, tale of, 172

MacNeill, Farquahar, 64

MacNeills, 264

Macphail (Macphie), 118

MacPherson, Captain (see Gaïch catastrophe)

Macphie of Colonsay, 109-122, 132

Magpie, 227

Maistir, 36, 49

Manadaireachid (see Augury)

Martin’s Description of the Western Islands, 309

Men of Peace (see Sithche)

Mermaid, the, 201

Leyden’s ballad, 117, 118

Merry Dancers (see Northern Streamers)

Moidart, 109

Morvern, 72, 80, 81, 98, 102, 103, 122, note; 135, 151, 173, 242

Mull, 15, 28, 42, 52, 59, 75, 80, 89, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 120, 126, 133, 138, 145, 152, 179, 180, 183, 208, 241, 264, 306

Murchard Mac Brian, 184

Murdoch, the Short, 264, f.

N

Names, 245

New-Year day, 234, f.; 260

Niägruisar, 191

Nial Scrob, 69, 70

Nis, 191

Nix, 190

Norman, 274

Northern Streamers (Merry Dancers), 199, f.

O

Oatmeal, 150, ff.

O’Cronicert’s Fairy Wife, 127, 133

Oisian, 44, 126, note

Oscar, 44

Ossian (see Oisian)

P

Palmistry, 266

Pearl work, 49, 80, 241

Pennant’s Tour, 193, 220

Pennygown fairies, 59

Perthshire, 30, 44, 74, 196, 198

Phynnodderee, 190

Pixies 11

Pope, the, and Michael Scott, 297

Portree, 29, 30, 75, 99, 137, 139, 186

Premonitions, 258, ff.

Prophecies, 269-276

Protection against evil spirits, 247, 248

against fairies, 46-49

Q

Querns (hand mills), 35, note, 149, 150

R

Raasay Water-Horse, 209

Rannoch, 71

Rats, 225

Red Book of Balloch (see Lady of Lawers)

Red Book of Appin, 292-295

Red-deer, 27, ff.

Red Donald, 71

Right-Hand-Turn (see Deiseal)

Road name, 245

S

Salt, 236

Schiehallion, 94

Scott, Sir Walter, 198

Michael, 285, 288, 295, 296

Seals, 283

Sea-serpent, 220

Serpents, 223, f.

Shetland Isles, 188, 283

Shien-sloy, 94

Shoulder-blade Reading, 263-266

Shrovetide, 297

Siochaire, 7

Sireach, 7

Sith (peace), 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 28, 29, 40, 41, 126

Sithbheire, 7

Sithche, 7, 40, 153

Sithchear, 7, 49

Sithein (fairies’ dwelling) 11, 14, note; 94

Skip Jack, 228

Skye, 29, 30, 43, 52, 56, 67, 69, 75, 91, 96, 99, 126, 136, 137, 156, 165, 182, 184, 199, 201, 217, 244, 297, 303, 305

Speke, Captain, 254

Spells, 281-285

St. Bridget’s Day, 225

St. Columba, 223

St. Elmo’s light, 6

St. Fillan, 196

St. John’s wort, 49, 103

Stirling, the Carse, 285

Suicides, 242

Superstitions about animals, 219-228

miscellaneous, 229-249

Sutherlandshire, 66

T

Taghairm (“spirit call”), 304-312

Tales of the West Highlands (see Campbell)

Tapull House, 75

Tea, divination by, 266

Theft, 236

Thomas of Ercildoune (the Rhymer), 45, 269-272

Thunder, 235

Tiree, 6, 30, 42, 52, 55, 57, 69, 71, 76, 78, 83, 85, 87, 91, 93, 101, 105, 108, 109, 134, 135, 139, 141, 142, 150, 165, 189, 199, 239, 240, 241, 266

Tobermory, 63, 183

Toradh (benefit), 21, 32, 33, 48

Trial (Deuchainn, fridh), 259, 261

Trolls, 11

“Trouble-the House” (Eachrais ùrlair), 282

Tutelary beings, 155-194

origin of the belief in, 192, 193

U

Uist, 136, 137, note

North, 284

Unimore, 190

Urisk, the, 195-199, 215

of Ben Loy, 196

Yellow-Waterfall, 197

W

Washing-woman (see Bean-nighe)

Water-Bull, 216

Water-Dog (see King Otter)

Water-Horse, 203-215

at Loch Cuaich, 210

at Tiree, 211, 214

Whale, 222

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