Matheson Collection > Folk tales and fairy lore in Gaelic and English

HOW THE FIRST CASTLE WAS BUILT ON
STIRLING ROCK.
Near Stirling there once lived an old gentleman, who
took it in his head to build a Castle on Stirling Rock.
He chose a site on the very top of the Rock, and drew
out a plan of the building he wished to put up on it.
But when the plan was finished, he found that he had
not money enough to build the Castle. Notwithstand-
ing this, he could not abandon the hope of seeing it
completed some time or other before he died. Morning
and evening he would be seen walking about the site
he had chosen, and heard lamenting to himself that he
had not the means to enable him to carry out his idea.
At long last, a little manikin came to him as he
was making his usual evening round on the summit of
the Rock, and said: " What will you give me if I baild
the Castle for you?" " I have nothing in the world
to offer you unless you take the clothes in which I
stand," replied the gentleman. " Will you go with
me a year hence, if I put it up for you before then? "
again asked the Stranger. " No, I'll not promise you
that," said the old man. " You need not go with me,
if you can find out my name before the year runs out,"
added the Stranger.