Chapter I: Front Matter

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WITCHCRAFT AND SECOND SIGHT IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND

* * * * * *

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._

_Uniform with this Volume: Price 6s. net._

Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Collected entirely from Oral Sources by the late John Gregorson Campbell, Minister of Tiree

_SOME PRESS OPINIONS_

The border line of fairyland once crossed is a bourne from which few antiquaries return. We have had great difficulty in getting back ourselves, led on as we were by the seductive John Gregorson Campbell, assuredly, if ever man was, since Campbell of Islay’s day, in the innermost secrets of the Elfin folk. Indeed, Campbell’s _Popular Tales of the West Highlands_, full to overflowing though they are, do not seem to us to express with anything like the same fullness and body the misty legend and wayward romance and quaint realism of the Celtic supernatural as does this plainer and prosaic notebook of an old parish minister between 1861 and 1891. Folklore whether of Celt or Saxon, henceforward has to reckon with the posthumous notebooks of John Gregorson Campbell for an indispensable section of its apparatus of study.—_ANTIQUARY._

The importance of the work from the scientific point of view can hardly be exaggerated, as its accuracy is absolutely indisputable. And yet being little more than a collection of stories told in the simplest English, it is as enjoyable as one of Mr. Lang’s fairy-books.—_THE SPECTATOR._

Altogether the volume is in its way singularly interesting, and forms a rich mine for the folklorist. Some of the stories may be met with under other versions, but most of them appear here for the first time and are wonderfully varied. The light they throw upon the Highlander’s ways of thinking is remarkable.—_SCOTTISH REVIEW._

Statements and beliefs are given exactly as they reached the author, nor do I think it would be possible to detect a single instance in which wider knowledge or prepossession of any kind has induced him to alter or distort a fact. This rigid conscientiousness will always secure for Mr. Campbell’s work the confidence and regard of true folklorists.... Campbell of Tiree takes his place by the side of Kirk, and of Walter Gregor of Pitsligo, among those recorders of folk-lore to whom the student can always turn with increased confidence and admiration.—MR. ALFRED NUTT _in FOLKLORE_.

Students of tradition will find much to interest them in this new collection of Highland folk-lore, for although a good deal of the information is similar to that contained in previous works of the kind, yet many details are new, and even those which are already familiar have this great recommendation—that they were obtained at first-hand from the peasantry, and not from other books.—_RELIQUARY._

On the whole their can be few richer fields of ancient folk-belief, especially of the gloomier and sterner sort, than that which was so successfully cultivated by the lamented author of this book.—_ATHENÆUM._

Mr. Campbell has escaped most of the difficulties by which his predecessors were beset. A very interesting series of stories has been collected, and the volume exercises much fascination over the reader. On the subjects such as divination, spells, the devil, etc., much interesting information is given. While scientifically thorough in treatment, the book is indeed admirably suited for general perusal.—_NOTES AND QUERIES._

The tales are plucked directly from their native soil in the popular memory; and while few of them are absolute rarities, there is hardly anyone that does not in some way illustrate the infinite variety and the vivid imaginative colouring, as well as the wealth of Highland superstitions.—_SCOTSMAN._

This volume is posthumous, and we cannot but regret that the author was not spared to see it safely launched. It is a capital book written in a thoroughly sane and sober spirit. In this it differs from most books that deal with the manners, customs, and usages of the Gaels of Scotland, for in them the wildest theories, based mainly on fanciful ideas, are treated as facts and enunciated as truths. In gathering his material the late Mr. Campbell relied solely on oral communications made to himself so that in every case of doubt he could interrogate his informant.—_SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL MAGAZINE._

Altogether the book is a notable and valuable addition to the literature of British folk-lore not unworthy to take its place alongside Mr. J. F. Campbell’s classic “Popular Tales of the West Highlands.”—_GLASGOW HERALD._

The more collections of this sort we get the better will be the verdict of all who read this interesting book; and those who look at the question more from the scientific point of view will echo the wish.—_MAN._

The fairies and tales about them, gathered by himself or by correspondents in all parts of the Highlands and Isles, take up the half of the book before us, the remarkable feature of which is that the whole of its contents has been taken down from oral sources. There are many variants and many common stories which are variously localised. Printed accounts of the fairies are religiously ignored.—_THE NORTHERN CHRONICLE._

Those who are interested in our west Highlands and Islands—and who is not?—will find Mr. Campbell’s book a perfect mine of strange, weird stories and legends, the latter entirely characteristic of the people, the former dealing with magic, divination, and the superstitions of fairyland. Indeed it takes a place by itself, and a very important place, in our folk-lore literature.—_THE BAILIE._

The tales are very diversified. They relate to the “fairies” and the superstitions regarding them. A chapter is devoted to augury, another to premonitions and divination, to dreams and prophecies, to imprecations, spells, and the black art. In short we have a very varied and manifold collection of Highland beliefs told with great freshness and vividness.—_OBAN TIMES._

Glasgow
James MacLehose and Sons

Publishers to the University
London and New York: Macmillan and Co., Limited

* * * * * *

WITCHCRAFT AND SECOND SIGHT IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND

* * * * * *

PUBLISHED BY
JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS, GLASGOW,
Publishers to the University.

MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD., LONDON.

_New York_, _The Macmillan Co._
_London_, _Simpkin, Hamilton and Co._
_Cambridge_, _Macmillan and Bowes_.
_Edinburgh_, _Douglas and Foulis_.

MCMII.

* * * * * *

WITCHCRAFT & SECOND SIGHT IN THE HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND

Tales and Traditions collected entirely from Oral Sources

by the late

JOHN GREGORSON CAMPBELL

Author of “Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland”

Glasgow James MacLehose and Sons Publishers to the University 1902

Glasgow: Printed at the University Press by Robert Maclehose and Co.

CONTENTS

PAGE

_CHAPTER I_

Black Witchcraft

Introductory 1

Witches and Milk 7

Counter-Charms 10

Going to Sea 15

Raising Storms and Drowning People 19

Witches as Sheep 30

Witches as Hares 33

Witches as Cats 34

Witches as Rats 42

Witches as Gulls 42

Witch as Cormorant 43

Witches as Whales 44

Delaying the Birth of a Child 45

Clay Corpse 46

Silver Sixpence 49

Saving Horses 50

Tailor and Witches 50

Celebrated Witches 50

Wizard Rising after Death 52

How to Detect Witches 53

_CHAPTER II_

White Witchcraft

Introductory 54

Eòlas 57

Cure for the Evil Eye 59

Charm for Sprains 66

Charm for Bruises 67

Charm for Rheumatic Pains 67

Charm for Consumption 68

For Affections of the Chest 68

Charm for Toothache 69

Made for Merrion MacFadyn 70

Charms for Cattle 71

Charm against Danger 73

The Old Wife’s Charm for her Cow 73

Charm for a Sheep in its Cot 74

Against Drowning and in War 74

Charm against Dangers in War 75

Charm for Cloth 77

Charm for General Use 79

“The Gospel of Christ” 79

Charm for conferring Graces 80

Charm for the Faces of Young Women 81

Love Charm 82

Charm to keep away Harm in a Lawsuit 83

Serpent Stone 84

Snail Beads 88

Frog Stone 89

Stones 90

Fairy Arrow 91

Cruban Stone 92

Various 93

Gospel 94

Miscellaneous Cures 94

Warts 94

Stye 95

Tetter 95

Hiccup 96

Hooping-cough 96

Stiff Neck 96

Toothache 96

Falling Sickness 97

Madness 97

Axillary Swelling 99

Lumbago 100

Consumption 100

Leprosy 100

Loch Ma Nàr 101

Wells 101

Mountain Ash 103

Pearlwort 103

St. John’s Wort 104

Juniper 105

Yarrow 106

The Enticing Plant 106

The Daughter of the King of Enchantments 107

_CHAPTER III_

Death Warnings

Introductory 109

Hugh of the Little Head 111

_CHAPTER IV_

Second Sight

Introductory 120

Spectres of the Living 132

Apparitions of the Dead 137

Strong and Undue Wishes 141

Tàradh 144

Marriage 147

Coming Misfortune 148

Events at a Distance 149

Death 150

Coffin 151

Noise of Glasses to be used at Funerals 154

Funeral Procession 155

Wraiths seen before Death 158

Drowning 160

Horses and Dogs 163

Crying heard before Death 166

Lights 169

Spirits seen before Death 172

Return of the Dead 172

Bones of the Dead and Place of Burial 176

Spirits appearing in Dreams 179

To get rid of the Second Sight 180

_CHAPTER V_

Hobgoblins

Introductory 181

The Bodach, or Carle 187

Fuath 188

Cachlaidh Na Feusaig, Islay 189

The Headless Body 191

The Grey Paw 194

Ewen and the Carlin Wife 198

The Black Walker of the Ford 201

Strowan, Athole 203

The Unearthly Whistle 204

The Battle of Gaura 205

The Beast of Odal Pass 207

Luideag, “The Rag” 208

Lochan Doimeig 208

Return of the Dead 210

Donald Gorm’s Ghost 211

Taibhse Choimhlig 213

Kingairloch, Argyleshire 214

Fladdachuain 215

Haunted Houses 217

Bocain, Goblins 220

_CHAPTER VI_

The Celtic Year

Introductory 224

Nollaig 229

Calluinn 230

Christmas Rhymes 233

New-Year Night 236

New-Year’s Day 238

The Twelve Days of Christmas 243

Winter Season 244

February 245

Earrach beag nam Faochag 247

St. Bride’s Day 247

Spring 250

The Whistle 250

The Sharp-billed One 251

The Sweeper 251

Gearran, a Gelding, or perhaps Gearan, Complaint 251

The Old Wife 253

Three Hog Days 254

Seed-time 255

Shrovetide 256

Lent 258

St. Kessock’s Day 259

St. Patrick’s Day 259

Lady Day 261

Shore or Maundy-Thursday 261

Good Friday 262

Easter 263

All-Fools’ Day 266

Bailc na Bealltainn 267

May-Day 267

Month of May 272

Whistling Week 273

May 273

The Avoiding Day of the Year 273

Whitsuntide, Pentecost 274

St. John’s or Midsummer’s Eve 276

Dog Days 276

Translation of Martin 277

Lammas 277

The Hot Month (_i.e._ August) 279

Assumption Day 279

Roodmas, September 14th-26th 280

Michaelmas 281

Hallowmas 281