The book Arran; - Cook Clan

FOLK LORE 291
IV
The Evil-Eye
The belief in the evil effects of the look of certain persons
is universal and to some extent still prevalent. Some modern
instances, which have come in the way of the writer, were
mainly due to the false logic of coincidence; others were
simple survivals. If a person possessed of the evil-eye wished
to buy an animal to which he or she had taken a fancy, it
was well to close with the offer ; otherwise the animal would
suffer and perhaps die. This is illustrated in a story below.
The ehlas (knowledge) was a charm for sickness, and the
eblas a' chronachaidh {cronaich, a rebuke) a cure for the evil-
eye.
Until quite recently the belief in the evil-eye was very prevalent
in Arran. Even good men could have the evil-eye through no fault
of their own. A minister of Kilmorie always had to invoke the bless-
ing of God on his cattle every time they came under his eye to save
them from its evil effect. Milk was very susceptible, so the churn had
to be hidden from view as much as possible. Cattle were protected
by tying a twig of rowan to their tail ; one James M'Alister, cottar,
Kilpatrick, always took this precaution. When oats were sent to
the mill the bags were safe if tied by a straw thumb rope. The
Nicols of Leckymore are said to have been the last who used this
method of tying.
Seventy-six years ago a Druimaghiner man was returning home with
a cart-load of sea-tangle. On the way he met a man who commenced
to bargain with him concerning the mare which was yoked to the cart.
He refused to sell her for the price offered, but no sooner had they
parted than the animal showed signs of being in great pain. She
became so ill that he had to unyoke her, and before he had reached
his house the beast was white with foam, and had kicked her shoes
clean off. The farmer at once sent his son for one Hugh M'Kenzie,
famed for his skill in cures. Hugh came quickly ; and when he saw