The Lost Pibroch, and other Sheiling Stories

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Munro Neil. The Lost Pibroch, and other Sheiling Stories

THE LOST PIBROCH

RED HAND

THE SECRET OF THE HEATHER-ALE

BOBOON’S CHILDREN

THE FELL SERGEANT

BLACK MURDO

THE SEA-FAIRY OF FRENCH FORELAND

SHUDDERMAN SOLDIER

WAR

A FINE PAIR OF SHOES

CASTLE DARK

A GAELIC GLOSSARY

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THE smell of wet larch was in the air, and Glenaora was aburst to the coaxing of Spring. Paruig Dali the piper – son of the son of Iain Mor – filled his broad chest with two men’s wind, and flung the drones over his shoulder. They dangled a little till the bag swelled out, and the first blast rang in the ear of the morning. Rough and noisy, the reeds cried each other down till a master’s hand held them in check, and the long soft singing of the piobaireachd floated out among the tartan ribbons. The grey peak of Drimfern heard the music; the rock that wards the mouth of Carnus let it pass through the gap and over the hill and down to the isles below; Dun Corr-bhile and Dunchuach, proud Kilmune, the Paps of Salachary, and a hundred other braes around, leaned over to listen to the vaunting notes that filled the valley. “The Glen, the Glen is mine!” sang the blithe chanter; and, by Finne’s sword, Macruimen himself could not have fingered it better!

The men, tossing the caber and hurling the clachncart against the sun beyond the peat-bog, paused in their stride at the chanter’s boast, jerked the tartan tight on their loins, and came over to listen; the women, posting blankets for the coming sheiling, stopped their splashing in the little linn, and hummed in a dream; and men and women had mind of the days that were, when the Glen was soft with the blood of men, for the Stewarts were over the way from Appin.

.....

“It’s disgraced by your own ill-got son you are, by a boy with no blood on his biodag, and the pride to crow over you.”

And Paruig cursed anew, by the Cross and the Dogs of Lorn, and the White Glaive of Light the giants wear, and the Seven Witches of Cothmar. He was bad though he was blind, and he went back to the start of time for his language. “But Dhé! the boy can play!” he said at the last.

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