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

THE PEAT-FIRE FLAME
Neil MacLeod, uncle of Torquil Diibh, Chief of the Lewis,
attacked the Morrisons on the moor at Habost, but was
defeated by them. While Neil was awaiting the arrival of
reinforcements from Harris, the Morrisons betook themselves
to Dun Eistein, whither Neil and his allies followed
them during the night.
Unaware of the presence of the enemy in the neighbourhood
of Dun Eistein, one of the Morrisons exposed himself
unwittingly to ' the Fury of the Quiver '—a Celtic term
applied to a special arrow never drawn from the quiver
except in circumstances of extreme peril. Into the breast of
this Morrison, a MacLeod in hiding shot ' the Fury.' The
victim's cries were heard by his companions; and there
hastened out of the Dun a certain Alan Morrison, the most
valiant man among them, who leapt across the ravine
separating Dun Eistein from the adjacent cliffs, and craved
that the cowardly assassin be handed over to him. But the
MacLeods feigned ignorance of the incident; and it was
Alan who was swift to reproach them with cowardice, since
they had come to Dun Eistein under cover of darkness, and
had begun their campaign before there was sufficient
daylight to enable the opposing forces to distinguish one
another. In common with the Scandinavians, the Celts had
the notion that to slay an enemy after nightfall was a serious
infringement of battle etiquette.
The MacLeods ultimately conceded to Alan Morrison's
petition that, by way of indemnity for their unchivalrous act,
the wounded Morrison might have the services of the
physician accompanying the MacLeods. And, so, Alan
tucked the enemy's physician under his oxter, and leapt
back across the ravine with him to Dun Eistein.
Nevertheless, the unfortunate Morrison succumbed to the
wound inflicted by the ' Fury of the Quiver.'
The Prowess of Iain Beag MacAndrea.
Upon the hillside above the banks of the River Dulnain,
just by the forlorn farm-steading of Dalnahaitnach, stands
a granite monument some five feet in height, quite close
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