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Anecdote about a man who thought a witch hare spoke to him; ...

Fieldworkers
Date
Track ID 39904
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1964.38.A16; SA1964.38.A17

Original Tape ID

SA1964.038

Summary

Anecdote about a man who thought a witch hare spoke to him; an 18th century witch trial.

Anne Ross asks about place-names with the Gaelic word for shieling, 'àirigh'. Allan Walker tells a story about Donald Stewart, tenant of Airigh Mheadhon farm. He went shooting one day while drunk, and a hare spoke to him by name and asked him not to shoot. He never drank again after that: he thought a witch had spoken to him.

Anne Walker, a relative of Mr Walker's, was tried for witchcraft at Kenmore, in the early 18th century, but got off. She was supposed to have taken milk from a neighbour's cow. There were many stories of people putting a 'buidseachd' [curse] on others' cows and crops.

Item Subject/Person

Stewart, Donald, tenant of Airigh Mheadhon; Walker, Anne

Item Location

County - Perthshire

Language

English, Gaelic

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good