J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

2 I 6 WEST HIGHLAND TALES.
The dress described may be tbe old dress of the Isles, as de-
picted on tombstones, with a cotton coat slipped in. In an ac-
count of the Danes and Norwegians in England and Ireland, by
J. J. A. Worsaae, London, 1852, it is stated that Magnus Barfod
sat himself at the helm while his ship was drawn over the
Peninsula of Tarbet (draw-boat) ; acquired the sovereignty of the
Western Isles ; and adopted the dress generally worn there.
" They went about the streets (in Norway) with bare legs, and
wore short coats and cloaks, whence Magnus was called by his
men, Barfod or Barbeen (barefoot or barelegs)," says the Ice-
landic historian, Snorro Sturleson, who, as well known, lived in
the first half of the thirteenth century. It is remarkable enough
that this is the oldest account extant of the well-known Scotch
Highland dress, whose antiquity is thus proved."
The tale might be taken partly from the Odyssey. The man
disguised as a beggar, going to a wedding where his own wife
was the bride, and where he knocks out the brains of a beggar
with a single blow, and makes a general slaughter afterwards, is
very like Ulysses, Penelope, Irus, and the Suitors, but similar
incidents are common in popular tales. There is a story in
the Decameron which somewhat resembles the incident of the
wife carried away. On the whole, I think this story is a remnant
of an old bardic composition, of which very little remains.
The word Gruagach is here used both for a maiden and for a
woman with a daughter ; it usually means a maiden, rarely a
chief; sometimes it seems to mean a conjuror, or philosopher, or
instructor ; otten the being called Brownie. It probably means
any one with long hair ; from gruag, the hair of the head.
Glossary.
Allaban Anradh, painful, wandering.
Athar na PoiT, the evil effect of drinking.
Beart na buil, tackle in her ropes.
Beucarsaich, screaming.
Brochd agus Olk, badgers and evil creatures, vermin.
BucAiDAcn, pimply, hoss covered, or perhaps hollow.
Gala agus Acarsaid, port and anchorage.
Cnock Seanan, (V) Hill of Jewels, from scan or seun, a jewel.