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

THE PEAT-FIRE FLAME
evening, accompanied by a friend, carrying in turn on their
backs a jar of whisky. In passing a hillock, the interior of
which was gaily illumined, they were tempted to enter—but
not before MacKenzie's friend had stuck a knife in the doorpost
to ensure his being able to leave whenever he wanted.
Inside the hillock they found a band of pipers supplying
music for a reel then in progress. MacKenzie danced reel
after reel, and showed himself so little disposed to leaving
the faeries' abode that his friend wearied of waiting, and
consequently left without him.
Days passed ; and no explanation was forthcoming such as
would account for the mysterious disappearance of
MacKenzie. His relatives suspected foul play on the part
of his friend. But it was decided that, should he not turn
up at the end of a year, they would organise a party to dig
down into the hillock from above, in the hope of solving
matters. A year and a day passed ; and still there was no
sign of MacKenzie. And so, a year and two days after his
disappearance, the interior of the hillock was entered from
above, and MacKenzie was found on the faeries' dancingfloor,
and he still at the reels. In this wise was MacKenzie
rescued from his elfin captors.
Now, it is held that the weaver obtaining a shuttle from
the faeries is able to weave thrice as much cloth as any
ordinary weaver. So it proved to be with MacKenzie, when
he returned again to live the everyday life. " At the first
move of the shuttle," he maintained, " myself and another
will be at the weaving." And, therefore, the laird of
Barcaldine promoted him to the rank of weaver-in-chief at
Barcaldine Castle.
To his accomplishments MacKenzie now added piping;
and he also began to make pipes himself. Thus he became
known throughout Argyll as Black MacKenzie of the Pipes.
But they say that, though he wove and piped better than
in the days before his sojourn in faeryland, he never
prospered thereafter.
Big Donald, King of the Faeries.
Beside Loch Morlich there is a sithean, or faery knowe,
that is believed to be the abode of Big Donald, King of the
32