Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

THE THREE WIDOWS. 233
said tliey, " and if they do not we will treat them just as Levi-our
did." So soon as they returned home, they told their wives that
they must prepare them a feast, and a better one than Levi-our
gave them. Their wives did so, hut they were not satisfied ; they
were always asking for more. " Oh," said the women, " Levi-our
has sent you home drank, and you don't know what you are
saying." Both of the men rose and cut the throats of their wives
at once. They fell down and were shedding their blood. The
men then rose and sounded a horn to raise them again. Though
they should sound the horn till this very hour, the wives wouldn't
rise. When they saw that the wives would not rise, they resolved
to pursue Levi-our. When he saw them coming, he took to his
heels and ran away. They looked at nothing else ; but after him
they ran, determined to have his life. He hadn't ran far on his
way when he met in with a man having a flock of sheep, he
said to the man, " Put off your plaid, and put on w^hat I am
wearing, there are two men coming who are resolved to have
your life. Eun as fast as you can, or you will be a dead man
immediately." The man ran away as he was bidden, and they
ran hard after him. They didn't halt until they had pushed him
into the deep black pool of Ty-an leòban. The man fell in, and
he was never seen afterwards. They returned home. Next day,
what did they see on looking out but Levi-our herding a fine
tlock of sheep. They came to the place where he was. " Levi-
our," said they, "the whole world won't satisfy you, didn't we
think that we had pitched you last night into the pool of Ty-an
leòban." "Don't you see the sheep I found there?" said he.
" Would we find the same if we w^ent in ?" said they. " Yes, if
I were to put you in," said he. Off Eibin and Robin set, and off
Levi-our set after them. They reached, and when they got to
the hole they stood still. Levi-our came behind them, and pushed
them both into the pool. "Fish for sheep there," he said, "if
you choose." Levi-our came home, and got everything in the
place for himself. 1 left them there.
I have a third version of this written by Hector MacLean,
from the telling of Margaret MacKinnon in Berneray, in the
Sound of Harris. It is called
3. Brian Beiagach — Bragging Brian. — What should happen