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

THE FIRST MACINTYRE OF GLENOE'S FAIRY
SWEETHEART.
The first Maclntyre of Glenoe had a fairy sweetheart
who haunted the glens and solitary corries of Ben
Cruachan. He used to consult the fairy woman when
he happened to be in any strait and knew not how to
get out of it.
This happened once when his elder brother was going
to withhold from him his just share of the stock of
Inverawe. The two brothers lived together, and
agreed well enough, until the elder of them married.
But once that took place the younger had no longer
any peace on the farm. At length his brother ordered
him to leave the place, and go to Glenoe with all that
belonged to him, and stay there. " And what belongs
to me?" asked the young brother. "The white cow
and as many as will follow her," answered the other.
The younger brother thought that he meant the white
cow and her followers only, and that he was, therefore,
going to withhold from him his just share of the stock.
He knew not of himself what he should do in the circum-
stances in which he was, but he thought he would take
the fairy's advice.
He ascended Cruachan, and found her in one of the
places where he used to meet her. He told her what
his brother had said, and then asked her to help him