The Scottish Celtic review

—Macpkec's Black Dog. 203the Kiug of Ireland gave chase to a deer tliafc was seen inthe wood. When hard pressed, the deer jumped uj) behindO'Crouicert who was on horseback, and took the shape of awoman of marvellous beauty. She was taken home by him,and the black hut, which he had left behind when going foraid to the king, was by enchantment changed into a goldenpalace on silver wheels. When he invited the king to thispalace and hospitablj'^ entertained him, one of the foster-brothersof the king's son, Murdoch, having fallen desperately in lovewith the fairy, took to his bed and remained behind the rest.He tried to seize hold of her, when she transformed herself intoa white filly and gave him a kick which broke his leg. It isupon the healing of the leg that a series of twenty-four taleswere grafted.An old man of nearly eighty years of age, a native of theisland of Mull, examined by the writer ten j'ears ago upon thesubject of Highland superstitions, said, " I have always heard thatdeer were fairy cattle, and I have never heard that the fairies hadanj' other." The wonderful agility, grace of form, the mystei-iousknowledge of the presence of any of the human race, and the suddenvanishing of these animals, make the attributing of their beingfairy cattle not inappropriate. A very popular " milking song "all over the Highlands is that of " Crochallan " (Crodh C/tailein)" Colin's Cows," and this song was universally looked upon as afaiiy song (Oran Sidh), sung by a fairy woman when milking ahind. It is perhaps referred to by Sir David Lindsay in his" Satyre of the Three Estatis," written about the year 1535, inthe words" Of Collin's cow heir is aue huriieFor eating of Makcomial's conieWas slaue into Balquhidder."The slaying of deer for incursions into cultivated land, duringsevere weather, is common in the Highlands at the present day.The main incident of the tale is that of fairy women visiting thehunters after their day's toil, and bringing destruction uponthem—the same incident as that on which Scott's " Glenfinlas "or " Loid Ronald's Ci^ronach" is founded, and such tales are to bemet with all over the Highlands. It is known in the WesternIslands as the "One Night's Watch" (Aur mi h-umi oitlhi-hc).