The Scottish Celtic review

!ILnv the Great Ttiutr'tsgeal was jnit to DcalJi.7-')that was a hundred fathoms above us, and a hundred fathomsbelow us, in the face of the rock ; and we were there dying fromwant of food. We tlicn cast lots, that we might know which ofus the lot might fall on. The lot fell on me. I was older thanthe rest; and I sprang and caiiglit my brother by the throat andkilled him. The two of us ate him. We were then as ill off aswe were before, without food. We cast lots again, and it wasupon me it fell a second time; and I caught my brother and killedhim, as I had done to the other. I was now alone, without foodor anything. One day I saw a boat going past the place where Iwas ; and I thought there was nothing but death before and afterme, and I jumped into the sea after the boat. I began to call out{lit., I struck at calling out) with the kind of cry I had. Thecrew of the ship heard me, and they told the captain that they'were hearing a ciy of distress. Go with the skiff where it is, tosee what man is in distress.' They reached where I was ; andwhen they saw what an ugly creature I was, they left me there,and I'eturned to the ship. They told the captain the creature theyhad seen. '0! go away and take it on board, whatever it be,' saidhe. W^hen I went on board, I used to rub myself against thecaptain and fawn upon him, and he took a great liking to me.He would not part with me ; I used to be with him in the cabin,till we arrived at home. We were after this at home. Thecaptain's wife then became pregnant ; and when the time of herdelivery came, they got midwives for her. She had a male child.When they had sorted the woman and child, the midwives slept.I was lying below the bed : a big fist came in through the roof ofthe house, and took away the child. When they awoke, the'child was not to be found. What they did was to smear bloodand filth over me, and accuse me of having eaten the child. 0,the bad creature ! I am loath to kill it, as I am myself very fondof it, and I will forgive it that.' Long or short as .she mightbe in proving pregnant, she became so again ; and when the timeof her delivery came, they got midwives for her. She had a malechild. When they had dressed the woman and child, the midwivesslept. I was asleep below the bed : a hand came in throughthe roof, and took away the child. When they awoke, the childwas not to be found. What they did was to smear blood andgore over me, and accuse me of having eaten the child.It was told'to the captain that I had eaten the child. O, the bad creatureI am loath to kill it, fir I like it ver^' much myself, and I will