226 FIRING OF MEG'S TOWER. 



aince saw her in her ain proper shape ; and she had a 

 long neb, and a muckle mouth, and a red petticoat on, 

 and she held a leister under her oxter, as if she war 

 gaen to the burning ; and wha kens but she may live 

 till this day ? for her deid body was never found, nor 

 the corpse-light * seen. There are three towers on the 

 muir a long way aboon the Elfin glen ; ye'll hae seen 

 them yoursel'; and Meg used to live in ane of these 

 towers by turns : no one kent in which she was, and 

 nobody cared to speer. At nightfall she would come 

 doon the glen to seek thae grey stanes f that the 

 fairies cast their cantrips with, and muckle scaith she 

 wrought, — rotting the sheep of ae body, and takkin the 

 milk from the kye of anither; so the lads waylaid her 

 wi' flails, and pitchforks, and sic- like gear. They chased 

 her aw the night in the glen, up and doon the braes and 

 thickets, and through the water ; but they could never 

 grip her, and they came back at skreigh o' day wi' torn 

 plaids and broken shins, all covered wi' mire ; and some 

 o' them had a sair sickness afterwards, and repentit that 

 they ever middled wi' her." 



" Oh, of course ; but what became of her at last, 

 Charlie?" 



* When a dead body was lost, it was supposed that a light ap- 

 peared over it at night, to indicate its position. 



■j" These fairy stones, as they are called, are to be found in the 

 Elfin glen, where the maid of Avenel is said to have appeared. 

 This romantic spot belongs to Lord Somerville, and is in the orna- 

 mental grounds belonging to his house called the Pavilion, The 

 stones are of a grey colour, and of various curious shapes, sometimes 

 closely resembling articles in common use, such as tea cups, saucers, 

 &c. ; they are supposed to contain some charm, and are constantly 

 sought for to this day by all sorts of people. 



