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

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THE PEAT-FIRE FLAME
^
Sud an rath - ad Fhionn - laidh.
Faery Bagpipes on the Isle of Muck.
Now, there resides on the Isle of Muck, one of the Inner
Hebrides group known as the Small Isles, a certain Colin
Campbell, who frequently has enjoyed the strains of faery
bagpipes. One day in summer, a few years ago, Colin
threw himself down on a grassy knowe on his native island
to have a snooze. As his ear touched the ground, he heard
what ever since he has described as the finest pibroch music
to which he has listened. When Colin first told his neighbours
of this experience, he declared that he was quite
familiar with the airs the faeries were playing. The music
died away, he continued, whenever he raised his head from
the ground. But, each time he placed his ear to the knowe,
he could hear faery bagpipes quite plainly, " " My word !
"
Colin Campbell averred, " that was the pibroch !
When on a visit to Muck a year or two ago, my hostess
called me to the door of her cottage one morning, and said :
" Look you ! Yon man leaning against the gable is Colin
Campbell, who knows all about the faeries, and often hears
faery bagpipes." Thereupon I made my way toward Colin,
exchanged with him a few casual salutations in the Gaelic,
and then proceeded to ask him about the faeries and their
music. To begin with, Colin affected not to understand in
the least what I was referring to. So I changed the
subject temporarily. But he now appeared little interested.
Something was worrying him. It soon became obvious that
he was trying to summon sufficient confidence to tell me of
his experiences. All this time he leaned against the gable
of his home, with his back to me and his hands in his
pockets, gazing out across the sea to. Ardnamurchan, and
uttering not a cheep. But, as I was on the point of moving
away, Colin, without turning round or moving in the
slightest degree, whispered " : Och, it was the faery pipes I
"
was hearing right enough !
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