The book Arran; - Cook Clan

270 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
no power over them. On one occasion, however, he had omitted to
take either of these objects, with the result that the cave nearly closed
before he could escape.
[Iron or steel as a protection against supernatural beings takes us back to
the Stone Age, and the preference in rites affecting the gods, who are always
conservative, for articles of the old-fashioned stone or flint. By similar reasoning
they are adverse to the new things of metal. The rowan is a Celtic sacred tree.]
There is found on the moors a tough and hard grass known by the
name of tasinn air geim (pull of necessity). It grows in circular
patches, about one foot or so in diameter. These patches were said
to be the dancing-places of the fairies.
At a place called Leac a' Chreac (fairy's bed) a good fairy paid an
almost annual visit. The people of the place prepared a bed for
this fairy at a certain "time every year. Should he come and occupy
the bed everything went well, but should he not come ill luck followed.
[In Colonsay, Martin tells us, as already referred to, that the sheaf of oats
dressed in woman's apparel was put in a large basket, 'and this they call
Briide's-bed.' The date was Bride's day, February 2. If an impression was
found in the ashes of the fire, Bride was accounted to have come, which
presaged a prosperous year.]
When corn was dried on a kiln, it was always considered necessary
to leave a portion for the fairies. If this were not done grievous harm
might be wrought by them on the owner of the corn.
When I was an infant my parents took me to visit my father's
relatives, who lived south of Whiting Bay. It was in the month of
October, and the short evening was drawing to a close when we got
seated in the gig ready to start for home. The old grandmother
brought out a farl of oatcake and broke it over me as I lay sleeping
in my mother's arms ;
fairies.]
it was to keep the fairies from doing me harm.
[Cf. a story above for the sprinkling of oatmeal as a charm against the
THE FAIRY OF TIGH-MEADHONACH
It has been said that the Curries should not leave Tigh-Meadhonach.
A story goes of how a fairy used to visit the farm-house at above