The fairies in the Highlands of Scotland generally have their
habitations in rugged precipices and rocky caverns, found in districts
especially remarkable for wildness of scenery. Their favourite
amusements are music and dancing, and their reels are said to last
sometimes for a whole year and even longer, without intermission.
A peasant from the neighbourhood of Cairngorm, in Strathspey, who with
his wife and children had settled in the forest of Glenavon, happened to
send his two sons late one evening into the wood to look after some
sheep which had strayed. The lads, traversing the wood in all
directions, came upon a habitation of fairies from which emanated the
sweetest music that one can possibly imagine,--or rather, much sweeter
music than anyone can possibly imagine. The younger brother, completely
fascinated by its charms, at one leap entered the abode of the fairies,
from which, alas! he could not return. The elder brother, compelled to
give him up as lost, ran home to his parents to tell them what had
occurred.
Now, there lived in the neighbourhood a "wise man," whom they thought
best to consult in the matter. This man taught the elder brother some
mysterious words of disenchantment, and told him to repair to the same
place where the lad had been drawn into the cliff, and to pronounce
solemnly the words; but this must be done exactly a year after the
occurrence of the event. The elder brother most earnestly attended to
the injunction. When the year had elapsed, he stood before the cave of
the fairies on the same day and precisely at the same hour at which his
brother had left him. The music was still going on, and by means of the
mysterious words he actually succeeded in liberating his brother, who
was still dancing. The daring little boy fully believed that he had been
dancing with the fairies for only half-an-hour; for, he said, he had
been dancing all the while, and the first reel was not yet over. But,
when he arrived at home again, his parents observed at once how much
his arms, legs, and his whole body had grown during the year.
Not less remarkable is the following adventure of a village-clergyman
told in the Highlands of Scotland.
A parson who enjoyed the reputation of being a very pious man, was
returning home to his village one night, after having administered
spiritual consolation to a dying member of his flock. The night was far
advanced and he had to pass through a good deal of "uncanny" land;
however, he, knowing himself to be a conscientious minister of the
gospel, did not fear any spirit. On his reaching the end of the lake
which stretches for some distance along the side of the road to the
village, he was greatly surprised by suddenly hearing strains of music
more melodious than he ever before had heard in his life. Overcome with
delight, the pious minister could not refrain from sitting down to
listen to the melodious sounds; besides he was very anxious to find out,
if possible, the nature and source of the charming music. He had not sat
listening many minutes when he could clearly perceive the gradual
approach of the music; he also observed a light in the direction from
whence the music proceeded, gliding across the lake towards him. Instead
of taking to his heels, as any faithless wight would have done, the
pious pastor, quite fearless, determined to await the issue of the
singular phenomenon. As the light and music drew near, he could at
length distinguish an object resembling a human being walking on the
surface of the water, attended by a group of diminutive musicians, some
of them bearing lights, and others, instruments of music, on which they
continued to perform those melodious strains which first attracted his
attention. The leader of the band dismissed his attendants, landed on
the beach, and afforded the minister the amplest opportunity of
examining his appearance.
He was a little primitive-looking, grey-headed man, clad in the most
grotesque habit ever seen; indeed, his whole appearance was such as to
lead the venerable pastor all at once to suspect his real character. He
walked up to the parson, saluted him very gracefully, apologizing for
the intrusion. The parson politely returned his compliment, and without
further explanation invited him to sit down beside him. The invitation
was complied with; upon which the minister proposed the following
question:--
"Who art thou, stranger, and from whence?"
To this question, the fairy, with downcast eye, replied that he was one
of those beings sometimes called 'Doane Shee,' or 'Men of Peace,' or
'Good Men,' though the reverse of this title was perhaps a more
befitting appellation for them. Originally angelic in his nature and
attributes, and once a sharer in the indescribable joys of the regions
of light, he was seduced by Satan to join him in mad conspiracy; and as
a punishment for his transgression he was cast down from those regions
of bliss, and was now doomed, along with millions of fellow-sufferers,
to wander through seas and mountains until the coming of the great day.
What their fate would be thereafter, they could not divine.[66]