Ewen And The Carlin Wife

The celebrated Ewen Cameron of Locheil (who is characterised by Macaulay, in his _History of England_, as the Ulysses of the Highlands, a gracious master, a trusty ally, and a terrible enemy), was on a journey, as the story goes, from Aberdeen to Inverness. He was at the time a young man, and on entering the inn, in which he stayed at Aberdeen, the evening before starting, he found sitting before him an old woman he had never seen before. On seeing Ewen she wrinkled up her nose, tossed her head, and said “hĭh.” Ewen, being of a witty humour, replied by wrinkling up his own nose, tossing his head, and saying “hŏh.” Next morning when starting, he found the hag waiting for him at the door. She said, “Step it out, Ewen” (_Ceum ann, Eoghain!_) He said nothing, but went on his way. All day the old woman walked alongside, and, whenever his steps flagged, repeated her challenge to him to step it out. Ashamed to be beat by an old woman, and agile as a wild cat, Ewen held on at a headlong pace, and before nightfall the pair were in Inverness, 108 miles away. Ewen was sadly fatigued, as may well be supposed from the distance and the pace. That night he consulted an old man, who advised him to answer the old wife’s challenge also in words, and no evil would result from his walk. Next day the hag, as before, was waiting for him at the door, and said, “Step it out, Ewen” (_Ceum ann, Eoghain!_) He answered: “A step for your step, and a step additional, old woman!” (_Ceum air do cheum, agus ceum a bharrachd, a chailleach!_) This day they walked to Patrickson Sound (_Caolas ’ic Phadruig_), as the ferry across Loch Leven at Balachulish is called, a distance of 75 miles. Ewen got into the ferry boat first, and pushed off from the shore. When the hag saw herself about to lose him, she called out, “My sincere wishes are yours, Ewen” (_Mo dhùrachd dhut fhéin, Eoghain!_) He replied: “Your sincere wishes be upon your own sides, and on yonder grey stone, old wife!” (_Rùn do chridh’ air do chliathaich ’s air a chloich ghlais ud thall, a chailleach_). The old wife looked at the grey stone, and it split in two, as may still be seen by any one passing that way.