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

WITCH TALES AND THE EVIL EYE
why he always looked so tired before the day's work began.
In course of time the state of Angus's health gave the
tacksman so much concern that he approached him in a
fatherly way, and persuaded him to reveal the cause of his
condition. And it transpired that poor Angus was the dupe
of a woman whom he declared to have been a witch. When
at night he came in from his work and was eager to lie down
and rest, she used to throw a halter round his neck and
transform him into a horse, on whose back she galloped all
over Skye to attend witch meetings during the night-time.
They never returned until morning, with the result that
Angus was usually too tired to be able for his daily routine
about the farm. Angus's story greatly perturbed the
so, without breathing a word to
tacksman of Ullinish ; and
anyone, he and Angus decided that the next time the witch
came on the scene, Angus would take the bridle forcibly
from her, and reiterate to her the phrases she had been in
the habit of repeating when transforming him into a horse.
Furthermore, the tacksman instructed Angus to shoe her
with real horse-shoes immediately she was changed, and to
restore her to her normal condition after he had had a jaunt
with her round the countryside.
That very night, to be sure, the witch again was at her
black art. Angus did not fail to carry out the instructions
he and the tacksman of Ullinish had agreed upon. Next
morning, when the family was assembling for breakfast, the
tacksman kept on wondering and wondering why his wife
was so long in making her appearance. When at length he
went to look for her, he found her ill in bed. So he straightway
sent for a physician, who on arrival discovered a pair
of horse-shoes so firmly nailed to
not be removed.
her feet that they could
And before long the tacksman was lamenting the loss of
his wife who, to his amazement, had been practised in the
Black Art.
The Three Banshees.
Upon a time there lived at Rudh' an Dunain, in western
Skye, a certain Norman MacSweyn. Norman was shepherd
to the tacksman of Rudh' an Dunain, who leased extensive
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