Scottish Myths and Legends Read Online Free
Author: Rodger Moffet, Amanda Moffet, Donald Cuthill, Tom Moss
Tags: Tales & Fables
of Fyvie as a reminder of the terrible injustice he had suffered.
Shortly after Andrew's death the haunting of Fyvie began and for many years afterwards the trumpet would be heard in the dead of night before the death of the laird. On several occasions the shadowy figure of a tall man, dressed in rich tartan, was seen by the castle wall, a figure which always disappeared when approached.
Bluidy Tam and his card game with the devil
By Amanda Moffet
General Thomas Dalyell (1615 – 1685) was also known by the names Dalziell, Dalziel or Dalzell, as well as Bluidy Tam and the Muscovite de'il. He was a Scottish Royalist General in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Born in Linlithgowshire; the son of Thomas Dalyell of the House of the Binns, Linlithgowshire; head of a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Carnwath, and of Janet, daughter of the 1st Lord Bruce of Kinloss, Master of the Rolls in England.
Legend has it that "Bluidy Tam" enjoyed on occasion a hand of cards with the Devil. During one of these games, the Devil losing threw the card table at the General. The Devil missed and the Table flew threw through the window and ended up in a pond on the grounds of the House of the Binns. This tale was passed down through generations of inhabitants of the Binns. In 1870 following a particularly hard drought, a Marble topped Card table was seen poking through the low waters of the pond. In 1930 the Mother of the present Tam Dalyell asked a local joiner to repair the legs on a table, only to find out that the - about to be retired - tradesman's first job was to retrieve said table from the pond.
Outlaws on Pabay and The deal With The Devil
By Amanda Moffet
Pabay is a small island just off Skye. On Pabay are the ruins of a small chapel, built originally by St. Columba's monks. After the chapel fell into disuse and the monks left, it became a refuge for outlaws 'broken men' and robbers. They caused much trouble on the main island of Skye. Legend has it this bunch of criminals met their end in a very unusual way. They had, of course many enemies and their chief decided to rid himself of them all with the help of the Devil. The band made up a huge fire and roasted three cats alive chanting the appropriate spells, an infallible way of raising the Evil One if you get the spells right. It was told that several minor demons appeared, but the robber chief insisted that he would only deal with the Devil himself.
Eventually Satan rose from the earth and asked their will. The robber chief told the Devil to kill two men whom the chief feared. The Devil responded "The price of two lives is two souls". This worried the gang and an argument began. Now, the chief had been known to boast that if he could only get swords that would not melt, he would be able to conquer Hell and capture Satan himself. The Devil reminded him of this and accepted his challenge, offering to kill all his enemies if he won the battle. The Devil was to fight the band for their souls 'here on the shore where swords do not melt.' The robber chief was so arrogant that he agreed. A fearful battle ensued, the Devil and his legions overcoming all the bandits who were armed with claymores or broadswords but failed to harm the chief, whose sword had a cross hilt. Suddenly a great black cat jumped from nowhere onto the chief's sword arm, causing him to drop his blade. He was never seen again.
The blackened stones where the evil fire was lit, on the beach near Ardnish can still be seen, proof to the truth of this tale.
Tales From The Cuillins; The Beginning
By Amanda Moffet
The Cuillins or The Black Cuillins to be more specific are as dark as their name, a mass of pinnacles and sharp rock ridges violently indented against the sky. It is of no surprise that they play host to many legends. This one concerns how these mountains came to be formed in the first place.
Way back at the beginning lived Cailleach Bhur
Shortly after Andrew's death the haunting of Fyvie began and for many years afterwards the trumpet would be heard in the dead of night before the death of the laird. On several occasions the shadowy figure of a tall man, dressed in rich tartan, was seen by the castle wall, a figure which always disappeared when approached.
Bluidy Tam and his card game with the devil
By Amanda Moffet
General Thomas Dalyell (1615 – 1685) was also known by the names Dalziell, Dalziel or Dalzell, as well as Bluidy Tam and the Muscovite de'il. He was a Scottish Royalist General in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Born in Linlithgowshire; the son of Thomas Dalyell of the House of the Binns, Linlithgowshire; head of a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Carnwath, and of Janet, daughter of the 1st Lord Bruce of Kinloss, Master of the Rolls in England.
Legend has it that "Bluidy Tam" enjoyed on occasion a hand of cards with the Devil. During one of these games, the Devil losing threw the card table at the General. The Devil missed and the Table flew threw through the window and ended up in a pond on the grounds of the House of the Binns. This tale was passed down through generations of inhabitants of the Binns. In 1870 following a particularly hard drought, a Marble topped Card table was seen poking through the low waters of the pond. In 1930 the Mother of the present Tam Dalyell asked a local joiner to repair the legs on a table, only to find out that the - about to be retired - tradesman's first job was to retrieve said table from the pond.
Outlaws on Pabay and The deal With The Devil
By Amanda Moffet
Pabay is a small island just off Skye. On Pabay are the ruins of a small chapel, built originally by St. Columba's monks. After the chapel fell into disuse and the monks left, it became a refuge for outlaws 'broken men' and robbers. They caused much trouble on the main island of Skye. Legend has it this bunch of criminals met their end in a very unusual way. They had, of course many enemies and their chief decided to rid himself of them all with the help of the Devil. The band made up a huge fire and roasted three cats alive chanting the appropriate spells, an infallible way of raising the Evil One if you get the spells right. It was told that several minor demons appeared, but the robber chief insisted that he would only deal with the Devil himself.
Eventually Satan rose from the earth and asked their will. The robber chief told the Devil to kill two men whom the chief feared. The Devil responded "The price of two lives is two souls". This worried the gang and an argument began. Now, the chief had been known to boast that if he could only get swords that would not melt, he would be able to conquer Hell and capture Satan himself. The Devil reminded him of this and accepted his challenge, offering to kill all his enemies if he won the battle. The Devil was to fight the band for their souls 'here on the shore where swords do not melt.' The robber chief was so arrogant that he agreed. A fearful battle ensued, the Devil and his legions overcoming all the bandits who were armed with claymores or broadswords but failed to harm the chief, whose sword had a cross hilt. Suddenly a great black cat jumped from nowhere onto the chief's sword arm, causing him to drop his blade. He was never seen again.
The blackened stones where the evil fire was lit, on the beach near Ardnish can still be seen, proof to the truth of this tale.
Tales From The Cuillins; The Beginning
By Amanda Moffet
The Cuillins or The Black Cuillins to be more specific are as dark as their name, a mass of pinnacles and sharp rock ridges violently indented against the sky. It is of no surprise that they play host to many legends. This one concerns how these mountains came to be formed in the first place.
Way back at the beginning lived Cailleach Bhur
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