The peat-fire flame : folk-tales and traditions of the Highlands & Islands

THE
PREFACE
purport of this volume is to set forth a series of
Folk-tales and Traditions in a form in which they
may make a popular appeal, and, incidentally, be
saved from oblivion. With the science of Folk-tales I have
not concerned myself : nor have I included tales and
traditions that might be ascribed to a period regarded as
mythological. But I have endeavoured to make my collection
and selection as representative as possible.
I am well aware that this work may lay itself open to
the criticism that certain chapters lack easy continuity, and
that much of the material is too compendious and detached
but this is almost unavoidable where, for purposes of clarity
and ready reference, an attempt is being made to allow each
folk-tale and tradition to stand on its own merits. I hope,
however, that compensation for any such defect will be
found in the manner in which I have sought to correlate
the text and the illustrations.
With the exception of the illustrations showing the Faery
Flag, Rory Mor's Horn, and the Dunvegan Cup, which was
given to me many years ago by my friend, the late Canon
R. C. MacLeod of MacLeod, all the illustrations are from
photographs taken by myself with a 3a Kodak, on Kodak
film (chiefly panatomic), and with a sky or a colour filter.
Here and there I have inserted, with minor alterations,
some of the folk-tales and traditions to be found in my
earlier works. In most cases such inclusions are the result
of my own labour and research. However, the great bulk
of the volume consists of fresh, unpublished material, much
of which has come my way when wandering at various times
through the Highlands and Hebrides with a notebook and
a camera, and with a ready ear for the traditionary
fragments that remain unchronicled, and that to-day are
passing so rapidly out of memory.
To the Editor of Chambers's Journal I am indebted
;