Clan Gillean

350 The Clan Gillean.
between Friday and Saturday and continued it for
four days, without tasting - any food. Allan was
the elder of the two, and acted as high priest. He
stood at the door with a drawn sword, and gave
the necessary directions. Lachlan's work consisted
in putting a live cat on a spit, and roasting him to
death before a huge peat fire. In the course of a
day or two a black cat appeared and said to him,
A Lachainn Uidhir mhic Dhomhnaill mhic Neill
is olc an diol sin air cait, Lachlan Odhar, son of
Donald, son of Neil, that is a bad treatment of
cats. Allan at once shouted to Lachlan, Ge b' e
chi no chluinneas tu cum an cat mu'n cuairt,
whatever you see or hear keep the cat turning.
As Lachlan took the advice given him, he had a
large number of black cats before him in a short
time. They joined their yells to those of the cat
on the spit, and thus tried to frighten him and
make him give up his work. They did not enter
by the door, which was guarded by Allan. It is
evident, then, that they were not real cats ; they
were demons in the guise of cats. On the fourth
day Cluas Mh6r, or Big Ear, made his appearance.
He was a cat of enormous size, and was black like
all the other cats that came in. There was now
a cat at the foot of each of the rafters of the barn.
Cluas Mhor threatened the performers with the
severest punishment, but they paid no attention to
him. Indeed they threatened to take hold of Cluas
Mhor himself and put him on the spit. When
Cluas Mhor saw their determination, he agreed