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

332 WEST HIGHLAND TALES.
her, and I will take tliee over to Dhiurradli ; and go
to the seven great women of Dhurrah and ask ser-
vice, that thou be a servant with them ; and w^hen
they ask thee what thou canst do, say to them that
thou art good at brightening iron and steel, gold and
.silver, and that thou canst make them bright, clear,
and shiny ; and take exceeding care that thou dost
each thing right, till they trust thee the White Glave
of Light; and when thou gettest a chance run away
with it, but take care that the sheath does not touch
a thing on the inner side of the house, or it will make
a screech, and thy matter will not go wdth thee."*
The Gille Mairtean grew into a boat, and ]\laclain
Direach went on board of her, and he came on shore
at creagan nan deargan,t on the northern side of
Dhiurradh, and Maclain Direach leaped on shore, and
he went to take service with the Seven Big Women
of Dhiurradh. He reached, and he struck at the door ;
the Seven Big Women came out, and they asked what
he was seeking. He said, " That he came to see if they
had need of a lad j" and they asked him " What he
could do 1 " He said, " He could brighten, or make
clear, white and shiny, gold and silver, or iron or steel."
They said, " We have need of thy like ;" and set
wages on him. And he was right diligent for six
weeks, and put everything in exceeding order ; and
the Big Women noticed it ; and they kept sajdng to
each other, " This is the best lad we have ever had ; we
may trust him the White Glave of Light."
They gave him the Wliite Glave of Light to keep
in order ; and he was taking exceeding care of the
White Glave of Light, till one day that the Big Women
* This may be compared with the theft of the sword in No. I.
f Peakgan, a fi.sh called a bream (Dewar), from Dearo, red.
Perhaps a flea, for there were mystii'al fleas in Jura. — J. F. C.