chròg mhòr liath gun fhuil," &c. ("Seest thou my big swarthy paw," &c.) The tailor replied as before, and was just finishing his last stitch and preparing to decamp with his work finished, when he heard the spectre's voice, as if coming from the depths of his chest, and as if stooping over him and stretching his arms to seize him, he cried: "Thugaid me fhein mar a tà mi a thaileir." ("At you myself as I am, oh tailor.") The tailor made no response to this threat, but made for the door with all possible speed. Just as he had got out at the door, he heard the ghost's hand rattling violently against ("ursann an doruis") the door-post. Such was its force that it left the print of its fingers on the door-post, which may be seen to this day, to testify to the truth of the legend of the haunted old chapel, and of the story of the tailor who tried his luck and won the day.[1]
The above legend is associated with Chanonry, Ross-shire. It is also told in connection with Kil-Christ, Beauly, and in connection with Kil-Neuer Chapel, at the south end of Lochawe, Argyleshire. The veritable finger-marks of the spectre are most assuredly to be seen on the door-post of the Kil-Neuer Church, even at the present day. The marks, however, are believed to be the result of an afterthought, and to have been made on purpose to substantiate the legend told in connection with the old chapel.
The writer (twenty-five years ago) composed an essay on the Gaelic verb, when attending a Gaelic class in Edinburgh, and endeavoured to show, from a phrase of this legend ("Chi mi sin," "I see that"), that the Gaelic verb "chi," being used here in the present tense, and a few other Gaelic verbs had a present tense.
X. — Seven Times Buried.
The following legend indicates the great importance that was of old attached to munificent funerals in the Highlands, and the gratification and benefit it was supposed to impart to the dead and gone in their long home.
The story is about two brothers, one of whom was a smith. After their mother's death, the smith, by an underhand manoeuvre,
- ↑ This is a variant of a well-known story. It is given in Mr. Jacobs' Celtic Fairy Tales (Nutt, 1892) from Notes and Queries for 21 December, 1861. Miss Dempster found it in Sutherlandshire ; and Mr. J. F. Campbell says it is common in Argyllshire and the Isle of Man. — Ed.
