The Raven’s Stone (4)
I’ll bring the story
The Raven’s Stone
to a conclusion. You’ll remember that it was a magic stone. If it were
in somebody’s mouth, that person would be invisible. To be visible
again, the person would put the stone in his pocket.
Lady Mackintosh appeared in Balnacraig at the head of a [military]
force. She was wanting to take Helen home. Helen was courting with Fair
John from Balnacraig.
But Helen refused to go with her aunt. And Fair John’s father refused
to surrender her. Lady Mackintosh ordered her men to attack the house
where Helen was. There was a battle.
John gave Helen the Raven’s Stone. In the fighting, he was badly
wounded. Helen came to him. ‘I swallowed the stone by mistake,’ she
admitted.
‘Oh dear,’ said Fair John. ‘You’ll never be seen again, Helen. My final
request is to be buried in the wood where we met each other.’ And he
died.
Helen picked up John’s bow and started to kill her aunt’s men. The only
ones that escaped with their lives were the Lady and two men.
John was buried by his father and his brother-in-law, Calum, in the
wood. Helen was also present, but nobody else saw her.
John’s father farewelled his son. ‘May your soul be at eternal rest,’
he said.
Then the two of them heard Helen’s voice. ‘John, my love, I’m going to
lie with you forever.’ There was a noise like a body falling into a
grave. Calum saw a bloody dirk on the ground at his feet.
‘I knew,’ said the old man, ‘that there would be suffering if the
Raven’s Stone were used with evil intent.’
The pair filled in the grave but they didn’t mark it in any way. It’s
reported, from time to time on a summer’s afternoon in that wood – to this
very day – that a woman’s voice will be heard, lamenting and wailing
Clach an Fhithich (4)
Bheir mi an sgeulachd Clach an Fhithich gu crìch. Bidh cuimhne
agaibh gur e clach dhraoidheil a bh’ innte. Nam biodh i ann am beul
cuideigin, bhiodh an neach sin do-fhaicsinneach. Airson a bhith
faicsinneach a-rithist, bhiodh an neach a’ cur na cloiche na phòcaid.
Nochd a’ Bhean-uasal Nic an Tòisich ann am Baile na Creige aig ceann
feachd. Bha i ag iarraidh Eilidh a thoirt dhachaigh. Bha Eilidh a’ suirghe
le Iain Bàn à Baile na Creige.
Ach dhiùlt Eilidh a dhol còmhla ri a h-antaidh. Agus dhiùlt athair Iain
Bhàin a toirt seachad. Thug a’ Bhean-uasal Nic an Tòisich seachad òrdugh do
na daoine aice ionnsaigh a thoirt air an taigh anns an robh Eilidh. Bha
cath ann.
Thug Iain Clach an Fhithich gu Eilidh. Anns an t-sabaid, chaidh a leòn gu
dona. Thàinig Eilidh thuige. ‘Shluig mi a’ chlach le mearachd,’ dh’aidich
i.
‘Obh obh,’ ars Iain Bàn. ‘Chan fhaicear tuilleadh thu, Eilidh. ʼS e m’
iarrtas mu dheireadh a bhith air mo thiodhlacadh anns a’ choille far an do
choinnich sinn ri chèile.’ Agus chaochail e.
Thog Eilidh bogha Iain agus thòisich i air fir a h-antaidh a mharbhadh. Cha
d’ fhuair às lem beatha ach a’ Bhean-uasal fhèin agus dithis fhear.
Chaidh Iain a thiodhlacadh le athair agus le a bhràthair-chèile, Calum,
anns a’ choille. Bha Eilidh an làthair cuideachd, ach chan fhaca duine eile
i.
Dh’fhàg athair Iain beannachd aig a’ ghille aige. ‘Fois sìorraidh aig d’
anam,’ thuirt e.
An uair sin, chuala an dithis guth Eilidh. ‘Iain, a ghràidh, tha mi a’ dol
a laighe còmhla riut ann an sìorraidheachd.’ Bha fuaim ann coltach ri corp
a’ tuiteam gu uaigh. Chunnaic Calum biodag le fuil oirre air an talamh aig
a chasan.
‘Bha fhios agam,’ ars am bodach, ‘gun tigeadh fulangas nam biodh Clach an
Fhithich air a cur gu feum le droch rùn.’
Lìon an dithis an uaigh, ach cha do chuir iad comharra sam bith oirre. A
rèir aithris, bho àm gu àm air feasgar samhraidh anns a’ choille sin – chun
an latha an-diugh – cluinnear guth boireannaich, agus i a’ caoidh ʼs a’
caoineadh.
