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

STORM-KELPTES
swallowed them altogether, and not even news of their
destruction escaped from it."
According to an old tale recounted by Dr. Gillies in his
book on Nether Lome, Brecan. in order to prove his love,
agreed to spend three days and three nights in his galley
at anchor in the Corrievreckan. On the advice of the wise
men of Lochlann. he anchored in this treacherous whirlpool
with three ropes attached to a ponderous hook. One rope
was made of hemp. Another was made of wool. And
the third was made of the hair of guiltless women. During
the first night the hempen rope gave way. On the second
night the wool parted. And on the third night the last
rope broke. Thus perished Brecan and his galley, much
to the joy of the storm-kelpies. They say that his black
dog afterwards retrieved his body, and drew it ashore at
Jura. And the Islesfolks buried him in a cave by the shores
of Jura still called Uamh Bhreacain, Cave of Brecan, within
hearing of the Corrievreckan.
Of disasters and escapes associated with these stormkelpies,
many folk-tales are related round the peat-fires of
Argyll and her islands—folk-tales of how mariners caught
in the whirlpool of the Corrievreckan closed down the
hatches and remained in the interior of their vessels until
they were whirled down to the bottom of the sea, and then
disgorged again, and of how ships on the verge of doom
were saved by the throwing into the vortex of a cap or of a
fragment of cork, which appeased the wild waters until they
had sailed bevond their influence.
The Blue Men of the Minch.
In the narrow tide-way separating Lewis from the group
of small islands known as the Shiant or ' Charmed ' Isles
live those storm-kelpies of the Hebrides called the Blue Men
of the Minch. The tide-way itself is known to the natives
by the Gaelic name, Sruth nam Fear Gornta, Stream of the
Blue Men. These kelpies are accredited with maintaining
the waters of their Stream, and also the waters in the
neighbourhood of the Shiant Isles, in a perpetual state of
turmoil. Manv an unsuspecting vessel has been lured to
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