The book Arran; - Cook Clan

272 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
THE DEPARTURE OF THE FAIRIES
Many years ago an Arran smack was crossing to Ireland when it
began to sink deeper and deeper into the water. An examination
by the crew revealed no leak in their vessel, but latterly one of them,
who had second sight, observed a small brown figure walking on the
deck. Calling another of the crew to him, he told the latter to stand
on the top of his feet and look along the deck. The latter was
horrified to find that deck, shrouds, and the whole vessel were simply
swarming with brown mannikins ; and the ' stowaways ' being
interrogated as to their presence on board, explained that Arran had
now become so holy that they were unable to get a livelihood in it,
and were accordingly desirous of settling in Ireland.
[A familiar story—the passing of the fairies. The poet Chaucer has it that
the blessings of so many holy men in England had banished the fairies from
that country. The sinking of the boat under its invisible weight may be
compared with the late classical story of how the fishermen of the coast
crossed with a cargo of souls to Britain, geographically identified with the
island otherworld of the Celts. For the conveyance of the second-sight by
contact see story in iii.]
When the phrase ' in the burn ' is used, it does not mean in the water,
but ' in the vicinity of the burn,' among the trees in the hollow of the
burn or on the banks, or among or on the stones in the burn. Fairies
were often seen in the burn (in Corriegills). G saw the fairies
dancing on a stone in the burn. The top of a granite boulder was
flattened out by the fairies dancing on it. If a ' baukan ' was seen
it was sure to be in the bum, and only the bravest folk would ever
think of going through the burn at night. Several baukans (bocans)
were seen in the bum in my own day, and I can assure you the fear
of going through the burn at night was real and genuine.
There are lots of springs or wells about one place, and it was a
very common practice for sick people to send for a can of water from
some particular well.
THE LOST PIPER
There is an old story of a piper called Currie, who, accompanied
with his dog, went into a cave playing the pipes. The tune he played