Old Skye Tales

Book excerpt: An extraordinary compilation of lore, legend, tradition, and incident from Scotland’s Isle of Skye. Written by a Glasgow-born Scotsman whose accomplishments ranged from working in the Clydesdale shipyards, serving as a headmaster, fighting for the rights of crofters, serving in the British and Indian armies, and producing acclaimed poetry, this volume is one of the most important sources for the history of the Isle of Skye. As well as containing a large amount of information of the geography of the island—particularly the north—it also contains important sections on crofting and the Church, as well as local superstitions, sayings, second sight, and even local characters of his time.