Blair Collection > Gille a' bhuidseir

THE REEL IN THE FAIRY-HILL
WE will now give you a little story and a short
one about the fairies, the history of an event
that happened two generations back.
There were two farmers in Druimechothais in Glen
Etive, who had gone to Kingshouse to fetch whisky
for the Hogmanay. They set off, obtained the whisky,
and started back home with it.
When going past a little, round, blunt Fairy-hill
which is between Dalness and lonmhar-euthullain,
the night having by this time fallen upon them, they
saw a light in the Fairy-hill, and the door of it open.
They heard music, too, and saw people dancing, and
one of our two farmers said, " Let us enter and see
what is going on here.' "
But the other said, " No, no, I won't go in there; go
thou if thou wish."
So in he went with the cask of whisky on his back.
The people who were in possession of the floor at the
time instantly made him set to work and dance.
Meanwhile, his companion was getting tired of
waiting because he did not come out, but feared to go
nearer the door.
So he went away home, and related what had
happened exactly and truthfully. Not a man would
believe him, but said to him that what had really
happened was that he had killed his companion. They
tried him at court after court, but he held always to
the same statement.
At last, they sent him to Inverary prison. They
immediately tried him before the judges there, but