10 Donald A. Mackenzie — Scottish Pork Taboo 



As to Gabriel, by the time he got himself gathered up, 

 the pig^ was within sight ; he took to his heels, as the colt 

 was quite gone, and reached Cumlongon wood in time to 

 hide himself, where he stayed all that dav and nio-ht, and 

 next morning got home almost exhausted. He told a 

 dreadful story ! The fright caused him to imagine the pig 

 as big as a calf, having long horns, eyes like trenchers 

 (plates), and a back like a hedge-hog. He lost his fish, the 

 colt was got back, but never did more good, and as to 

 Gabriel, he soon after fell into a consumption and departed 

 this life about a year after. 



About this time a vessel came to Glencaple quay, a little 

 below Dumfries, that had some swine on board, most likely 

 for the ship's use ; one of them having got out of the vessel 

 in the night, was seen on the farm of Newmains next morn- 

 ing. The alarm was spread, and a number of people 

 collected. The animal got manv different names, and at 

 last it was concluded to be a brock (badger). Some got 

 pitchforks, some clubs, and others old swords, and a hot 

 pursuit ensued ; the chase lasted a considerable time, owing 

 to the pursuers losing heart when near their prey and 

 retreating. Rob's Geordy, having rather a little more 

 courage than the rest, ran ' neck or nothing ' forcibly upon 

 the animal, and run it through with a pitchfork, for which 

 he got the name of ' stout-hearted Geordy ' all his life after. 

 There is an old man, nearly a hundred years of age, still 

 alive in the neighbourhood where this happened, who 

 declares that he remembers of the Gudeman of the BroAv's 

 pig, and the circumstances mentioned ; and he says it was 

 the first swine ever seen in that country." 



In this narrative it will be noticed (i) that the wild pig 

 had disappeared in Dumfriesshire, and (2) that the pig was 

 regarded as a devil. 



The Gaelic-speaking people of Scotland have many names 

 for the devil, one being ''The Big Black Pig" (muc mhbr 

 dhubh). When the devil appeared in human form he had 

 '* usually," writes the Rev. John Gregorson Campbell, Tiree, 

 '' a horse's hoof, but also sometimes a pig's foot." He was 

 in the habit of visiting young people who played cards. 



'^ Cards are notoriously known as the devil's books. 

 When boys play them the fiend has been known to come 

 down the chimney feet foremost, the horse's or pig's foot 

 appearing first. When going away he disappears in smoke 

 and neighs horribly in the chimney " (31, 290-2). 



