E-text prepared by Ted Garvin, Brett Koonce, and Project Gutenberg
Distributed Proofreaders
Editorial note: Many paragraphs in the original text ended without punctuation, and this state has been preserved in this Project Gutenberg edition.
1909
Miss YULE, of TARRADALE.
The immemorial folk-beliefs of our native land are passing away, butthey still retain for us a poetic appeal, not only on account of theglamour of early associations, but also because they afford us invitingglimpses of the mental habits and inherent characteristics of the menand women of past generations. When we re-tell the old tales of ourancestors, we sit beside them over the peat-fire; and, as we glory withthem in their strong heroes, and share their elemental joys and fears,we breathe the palpitating air of that old mysterious world of theirs,peopled by spirits beautiful, and strange, and awe-inspiring.
The attitude of the Gael towards the supernatural, and his generaloutlook upon life in times gone by, was not associated with unbrokengloom; nor was he always an ineffectual dreamer and melancholy fatalist.These attributes belong chiefly to the Literary Celt of latter-dayconception—the Celt of Arnold and Renan, and other writers following intheir wake, who have woven misty impressions of a people whom they havemet as strangers, and never really understood. Celtic literature is nota morbid literature. In Highland poetry there is more light than shadow,much symbolism, but no vagueness; pictures are presented in minutedetail; stanzas are cunningly wrought in a spirit of keen artistry; andthe literary style is direct and clear and comprehensible. In Highlandfolklore we find associated with the haunting "fear of thingsinvisible," common to all peoples in early stages of development, aconfident feeling of security inspired by the minute observances ofceremonial practices. We also note a distinct tendency to discriminatebetween spirits, some of which are invariably friendly, some merelypicturesque, and perhaps fearsome, and others constantly harbouring adesire to work evil upon mankind. Associated with belief in the efficacyof propitiatory offerings and "ceremonies of riddance," is the ethicalsuggestion that good wishes and good deeds influence spirits to performacts of kindly intent.
Of fairies the Highlanders spoke, as they are still prone to do in thesedistricts where belief in them is not yet extinct, with no small degreeof regard and affection. It may be that "the good folk" and the"peace-people" (sitchean) were so called that good intention might becompelled by the conjuring influence of a name, as well as to avoidgiving offence by uttering real names, as if it were desired to exercisea magical influence by their use. Be that as it may, it is evident fromHighland folk-tales that the fairies were oftener the friends than thefoes of mankind. When men and women were lured to their dwellings theyrarely suffered injury; indeed, the fairies appeared to have takenpleasure in their company. To such as they favoured they imparted thesecrets of their skill in the arts of piping, of sword-making, etc. Atsowing time or harvest they were at the service of human friends. On theneedy they took pity. They never failed in a promise; they never forgotan act of kindness, which they invariably re