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

33o WEST HIGHLAND TALES.
the back of the Gille Mairtean, and the silver bridle
out of liis head, and he left liini with them : and he
went away himself with the Wliite Glave of Light,
and he went where he left the Kling of France's
daughter, and the Yellow Bay Filly which he got from
the King of Eirinn ; and tlie Big Women of Diurrath
thought that it was the Yellow Bay Filly of the King
of Eirinn that they had got, and they were in great
haste to ride. They put a saddle on her back, and
they bridled her head, and one of them went up on
her back to ride lier, another went up at the back of
that one, and another one at the back of that one, and
there was always room for another one there, till one
after one, the Seven Big Women went up on the back
of the Gille Mairtean, tliinking that they had got the
Yellow Bay Filly.*
One of them gave a blow of a rod to the Gille
Mairtean ; and if she gave, he ran, and he raced back-
wards and forwards with them through the mountain
moors ; and at last he went bounding on high to the
top of the MoNADH mountain of Duirrath, and he
reached the top of the face of the great crag, that is
there, and he moved his front to the crag, and he put
his two fore feet to the front of the crag, and he threw
his aftermost end on high, and he tlu'ew the Seven
Big Women over the crag, and he went away laugh-
ing ; and he reached where were Maclain Direach and
the King of France's daughter, with the Yellow Bay
Filly, and the White Glave of Light.
Said the Gille Mairtean, " I will put myself in the
form of a boat, and go thyself, and the daughter of the
King of France on board, and take with you the Yellow
* This incident is told of a bay water-horse in Sutherland.
■ The Seven Herds of Sollochie."