WITCHES. 195 



Road by their infernal magic; they metamorphosed 

 themselves into the form of eagles ; for those who are in 

 familiar alliance with Clootie obtain from him the power of 

 transformation. The Atholl tradition says, "it is not 

 known whether Gumming ever injured them, or whether 

 they bore him any malice or ill will." But the Badenoch 

 history declares that these eagles were the transformed 

 mothers of the girls whom he had commanded to reap 

 stark naked on the following day. 



Whatever they were, however, they took their flight 

 till they came to Cumming's workmen, and by some 

 charm they dispersed the men, and put the horses and 

 oxen to flight, till they were driven over a great precipice, 

 which was thence called Cum-na-feur, or the Cart's 

 Precipice. 



Gumming, affrighted at the catastrophe, took to flight and 

 galloped off, pursued by the two winged witches : he did 

 not, however, acquit himself so well as Tarn O'Shanter, 

 for his body was torn from his horse by the eagles, the 

 flesh stripped off, and nothing remained in the stirrup but 

 one of his legs. The horse stopped for a space on the 

 banks of the Tarff ; and the spot where he paused is still 

 called Lechois (one foot). 



Thus terminated, according to tradition, the extravagant 

 speculation with which Gumming was to supply Badenoch 

 with Kilmavonaig beer ; the length he proceeded with his 

 work may be easily discerned at the present day; no 

 person doubts that there was a road. 



The belief in witches, fairies, and other supernatural 

 powers has very much decreased of late years in Scotland ; 

 but it is a great mistake to consider it as wholly extirpated. 



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