The Gailleach o' the Glen by Robert MacKay

[trinkie]

Note - The piece is based on stories and tales of a "cailleach" (old woman)
of distant days, who believed that ghosts, fairies etc did exist; indeed she strongly affirmed that when she retired for the night the fairies came and perched on the bed rails, and went through all sorts of gymnastic displays to the old dame's discomfiture, making sleep impossible until they went away.

taken from the Caithness Courier 1946.

The Cailleach o' the Glen.
By Robert MacKay.

I've wandered many a weary mile
Ower hill and dale and ben,
Crossed many a burn and rustic stile,
How aft I dinna ken.
But, ochanee the sweetest walk
Was vis'tin' noo and then
A wifie wha could fairly talk -
The cailleach o' the glen.

She was an unco cheery soul,
Wi' e'en a kindly grey,
Her praises aye I will extol,
Until I'm called away.
Her stories still I bring to mind,
Her words o' wisdom then;
She showed me paths to keep in mind,
The cailleach o' the glen.

She tauld me o' the little men,
Drest in their suits o' green,
That ilka nicht cam' doon the glen
As midnight 'oor had gane,
To skirlan' pipes they danced wi' glee
Queer dances o' their ain;
This is one tale she told to me -
The cailleach o' the glen.

The times hae changed wi' the years,
And I am growing old,
I've passed thro' sunshine mixed wi' tears,
And troubles hard hae tholed;
Alas! nae mair I'll see her there,
But aye she will remain,
On mem'ry's page for ever mair -
The cailleach o' the glen.

[Kenn]

There are always memories that will stay a life time and tales from the lore and about the faerie folk are some of my favourites especially when I would sit with my grandmother and she would tell me of, Spriggins, Sprites,Piskies and all the others that inhabited a world long gone.

I still have a picture in my mind of her sitting by the fire with her silver haid and me sitting spell bound beside her.

Thanks trinkiie