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

THE PEAT-FIRE FLAME
ship could stand the test of a toast to which neither of them
had ever been accustomed. Thereupon the Laird rose and
toasted " The King " ! and in so doing passed his wine-glass
over the water decanter.
In silent indignation, Wade quitted the Doune ; and never
again did he cast his shadow on MacAlpine's threshold.
The Prince and the Beatons.
Few localities of the British Isles are richer in memories
and folk-tales of the '45 than the Isle of Skye, as might be
expected of an island that sheltered Prince Charlie during
so considerable a period of his wanderings. While crossing
a moor on the outskirts of Balmeanach, in Bracadale, the
Prince and Flora MacDonald and a guide met a certain
Beaton and his young wife, who were driving home their
cows to be milked. After the exchange of befitting salutations,
the Beatons realised that the spokesman of the party
was a diiin' imsal—a man of gentle birth. As conversation
progressed, the Beatons, who to begin with were a little
embarrassed, became more at ease, and insisted that the
three wanderers should accept a drink of milk. They could
not but observe that two of tlie strangers were taking great
care of the third—a young man who spoke little, and
appeared to be anxious. Beaton and his wife became more
than curious when they noticed that, although these two
drank the milk from the little, wooden drinking-dish known
in the Highlands as a cuman, they took care that their charge
drank from a golden cup they carried with them.
When the strangers moved off, the spokesman lingered
behind for a moment to speak with the Beatons, and gave
them three pieces of gold as mementoes of a memorable
meeting. Greatly moved were the Beatons when they
realised that they had entertained none other than the young
Prince of Scotland. After the lapse of some months, the
goodwife of Balmeanach gave birth to a daughter, who was
as unlike her parents as any child could have been, and who
grew up to be the loveliest lass in all Bracadale. The child
became known throughout Skye as Mairi a Phrionnsa,
Mary of the Prince, as thoui^ii she had been begotten of
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