p. 35

"WELL, it is not the least use talking about it; there is not more than one loaf of bread in the house or one bawbee in the stocking," said the widow of Rannoch to her three sons, Donald, Dougald, and Duncan. "So go, each of you, and seek a fortune; and if a fortune you get, don't forget your old mother, for she's tried to do her best by you for many a long day."

And Donald, Dougald, and Duncan all agreed that she spoke the truth, and that the best thing they could do for her now was to go at once, returning as soon as good fortune would let them.

So the widow of Rannoch divided the loaf into

p. 36

four portions and gave a bit to each, putting it in their wallets, and keeping one bit for herself. Then she gave them her blessing, and off they started.

Now, they set their faces towards the west, where lay the great ocean. Perchance they would get a passage there in a ship to the south, where the bright gold lay for the gathering, and that would be much better than making for the east, where every one was as poor as themselves, they knew already, only too well.

Over the moor they trudged, and Donald sang a song to cheer Dougald and Duncan; and, when he was tired, Dougald told a story to while away the time for Donald and Duncan. When his story came to an end, Duncan was just going to show them some other kind of diversion, when he stopped, seized both of his brothers by the arms, and, pushing them before him into a peat-hole, bade them for their life's sake bide among the high hags at its side, and not utter a syllable, or make the slightest sound. "For," said he, "I see the witch of Ben e Bhreac coming in the distance towards us."

And, sure enough, there she was, coursing over the moor in a direct line with them, waving her magic staff. As she strode over the pools, the water splashed upwards in brown foam before her; as she clambered over the peat-hags, the divots and turves flew away on every side; as she swept along the dry path, the dust in clouds whirled behind her like an attendant spirit.

So she passed by them, without a thought of human creatures being so near to her; for, you may be sure,

p. 37

they lay very close and still, and did not move till the last trace of her vanished behind the slopes of the Black Mountains.

"Now is our chance," said Duncan, the youngest, to his two brothers. "The old bird has gone on a journey; let us harry her nest."

"Oh! but that would be stealing!" said Donald.

"Stealing?" said Duncan; "stealing the stolen. How do you know we won't find some of our own goods there? At any rate, if they are not ours, they are not hers, whoever it is they belong to." So, as Duncan was the clever one of the family, and never was contradicted, although the youngest, there was no more to be said about the matter, and off they started for Ben e Bhreac.

It did not take them long to arrive at the summit where the witch's home was, and where her well can be seen to this day, for they were anxious to get through the business as soon as possible before the, good lady should return, and they were brave lads and had stout hearts for a stiff brae, and fear gave them an extra toe to each foot, as the saying is.

Up at the bothie they found all quiet, and they judged the witch had gone for a long journey, for the door was fast locked, and no smoke was to be seen coming out of the chimney.

Yet, in a very short time they made an entrance, by taking off the divots from the roof, and getting in that way; but they were disappointed at seeing very little of value inside. Certainly the witch, if she had any valuables, did not keep them in that house,

p. 38

"Now, we must have a good look round outside," said Duncan; "but before we do so, just let me prepare for the accident of her sudden return. I know a trick that will checkmate the hag even if she does. Only you do as I say, and all will be well."

As usual the other two agreed, for they never ventured to contradict Duncan, as I told you before, but believed in his genius implicitly.

"Donald, you go up and keep a good lookout, up the stack to the north-east, and give an alarm if you see anybody coming. Dougald, you turn your face towards the south-west and do the same." So they went out, and did as they were told.

Now, the hag's bothie was built over a well, and the way to it--was through the floor of the bothie by means of a trap-door set on iron hinges; seeing which, Duncan loosened the hinges with his dirk, till he felt sure a little added weight would send trap and all into the water below. Then he put the hag's chair on the top of the trap, tying a stout cord to the leg of it, and one end of this he flung over the iron girdle standing in the corner. Next, pulling the table up towards the chair, he furnished the board with a large aschet and a couple of knives, just as if a feast had been laid by her imps against the return of their mistress. Then he collected a dozen large stones, and set them up by the wall, to be handy if occasion required.

Well, scarcely had he finished all these arrangements, when a cry from Dougald gave the alarm that the hag was returning full speed from the direction

p. 39

of the Black Mountains; and, looking in that direction, the three brothers saw her, sure enough, coursing over the waste in a direct line with her home, waving her magic staff. As she strode past the pools, the water splashed upwards in brown foam before her; as she clambered over the peat-hags, the divots and turves flew away on every side; as she swept along the dry paths, the dust in clouds whirled behind her like an attendant spirit.

"Quick!" said Duncan. "Get in through the bole in the roof; sit down both of you on the big aschet on the board; garnish your heads with kale, shut your eyes, and don't move or say a word, and all will be well."

So Donald and Dougald did as he told them. They crept in through the hole in the roof, and got up on the table, and, sitting down on the big aschet, they decorated their heads with kale and shut their eyes. And Duncan hid behind the large girdle in the corner, holding the cord light in his hand.

Thus they waited in silence for what was going to happen.

They had not to wait long, for the witch was soon at the door, which sprang open at the touch of her staff, and disclosed the horrid hag entering with upturned and snorting nose, for she had smelt food a long way off, and could not make out whence came the scent.

"Ha, ha!" she muttered in delight. "By my troth, my imps have provided a fair feast for me in my absence. 'Tis capital!" and she flung her magic

p. 40

crutch into the corner, took up the knife and fork, and sat down on the chair at the end of the table, ready to enjoy her gruesome supper.

But the supper was not for her this time. Just as she was in the act of sitting down, Duncan pulled the cord with a mighty tug, and the chair flew away from under the witch, so that she came down with a mighty crash on the trap-door, which, giving way, suddenly precipitated her backwards into the bubbling water below!

"Now for it!" said Duncan; and the brothers, leaping down from the table, seized the large stones that Duncan had placed in readiness along the wall, and flung them down with all their force on to the top of the old hag below. When these were all done, they turned the table over the hole, and heaped on it everything they could lay their hands on. Nothing that they could lift and move came amiss. Then they sat themselves exhausted on the top of the pile to rest and wipe their faces, for it had been a desperate hard job.

"No, you don't," said Duncan, leaping down as he saw the magic staff creeping and crawling like a snake towards the door. But the crutch was too sharp for him, and wriggled under the door, and, gliding off, was soon lost among the heather and fern that surrounded the summit of Ben e Bhreac.

Now, there had been no sound or disturbance from the well for some time, so they concluded that the old hag was safely settled once and for all this time, and Duncan gave it as his opinion that they might now

p. 41

go and have a leisurely look round about the place to see if there was anything worth carrying off.

So Donald searched about the summit to the north, Dougald to the south, and Duncan to the east. There was no use at all in going towards the west, for a precipice went straight down on that side, and it would have been waste of time to have done so.

To the north, where Donald went, was what one might call the garden, if such a collection of weeds might be given that name. There Donald went up and down, up and down, yet nothing of the slightest value to himself or any one else did he see, and he felt disgusted at taking all this trouble for nothing.

Well, he was just going to give up the search in despair, when he espied a very handsome flower growing beside a rock at the further end, and thought he would go and have a look at it before telling his brothers of his unprofitable search. And the plant was a really pretty one. It had a splendid yellow flower like a great gowan growing on the top of a stout stalk which sprang from a bunch of large green leaves below. He certainly never had seen the like before, and he stood there admiring it very much.

"I wonder what sort of plant this can be?" said Donald.

"Oh, I'm a Thunder-plant," said the flower.

"A what?" said Donald.

"A Thunder-plant," said the flower again.

"Indeed; and what sort of kind can that be?" said Donald.

p. 42

"Just smell me, and you will soon see," said the flower.

Well, Donald was curious to know what sort of plant a Thunder-flower could be, so he leaned down and gave a truly good sniff in the very centre of the petals.

BANG! There was a startling report, and the echoes of it rolled and rolled round the mountains, and Donald fell flat on his back with astonishment and alarm.

"Well, we live and learn something new every day, certainly," said Donald as he got up rubbing his legs and elbows. "I'm not sure but that you would be a

p. 43

good companion in a pinch, if you could always do that when you were asked."

"I don't object to going with you as a companion," said the flower. "Dig me up carefully, and put me in your wallet. I may be of some use to you on the way."

So Donald dug the Thunder-plant up carefully with his knife and put it in his wallet. "At any rate I shall not go home empty. A plant is better than nothing," quoth he; "though of what use a Thunder-plant may be to me I assuredly do not know at present."

"Time will show that," said the Thunder-plant.

"Ay will it," said Donald.

In the meantime Dougald, the second brother, had gone to seek for treasure on the south side of the bothy. Here at first he sought most carefully, but could discover nothing of even the smallest value, and, like Donald, getting tired of seeking, he was almost giving up the hunt in despair, when he heard, or thought he heard, a strange, weird chuckle, like laughter, proceed from behind a heap of rank grass in the shade of the wall. Examining more closely, he discovered the cause of the noise in a queer-looking gray hen, seated amongst the rubbish. She had a bright red comb and a yellow beak, and from her eyes came such a strange look, unusual in an ordinary fowl, as she fixed them upon the stranger, that Dougald at once understood the bird was something decidedly out of the common.

"Dear me," said Dougald, "what sort of fowl are you?"

p. 44

"A Thunder-fowl," said the bird.

"What?" said Dougald.

"I believe I answered loud enough," remarked the bird; "A Thunder-fowl."

"Oh, I beg your pardon!" said Dougald; "you did so, but my good mother has kept poultry for many a long year at home, and I have never seen the sort before, and that astonished me."

"Put the coop over my head, and leave me in the dark for a short space. Then take it off suddenly, and you will soon find out all about it," said she.

Well, Dougald did not like to refuse so civil-spoken a request, especially as it was owing to his curiosity the bird suggested the proceeding.

So he put the coop over her head, and counted maybe twenty, and then lifted the coop off again.

To say that he was astonished at the terrific crow the fowl emitted is not an adequate expression: he was startled out of his wits. No thunder could produce so mighty a report, or echoes more loud among the mountains, than the sound which came up under his nose when once more the light shone upon the red hackles of the Thunder-fowl, and Dougald fell flat on his back with astonishment and alarm.

"What do you think of that?" said the fowl.

"You don't belie your name," said Dougald, getting up and rubbing his legs and elbows. "Don't do that again without giving me warning. Still, you would not be a bad companion at a pinch, if you could trumpet like that whenever you were asked."

p. 45

"Well, take me with you as a comrade," said the fowl. "It's cold enough and lonely enough living up here, anyway."

"I can carry you in my wallet, if you don't mind," said Dougald.

"Capital," said the fowl; "only, don't cover my head, or you may be startled when you least expect it."

So Dougald put the Thunder-fowl in his wallet, and her head looked out through a hole in the top, and, quite pleased with his discovery, he went to seek his brothers.

Now, as for Duncan, the youngest brother, he went as was arranged to the east side of the mountain, to see what he could find in the way of a treasure, and, like the others, it was not long before he got dead tired of searching. There was nothing to be seen but an enclosure of stones in which were a few

p. 46

unpleasant nettles growing, and a pile of sticks set up on end in the corner for fuel. He kicked up some of the nettles, to see if anything was hidden among them, and stamped on the ground in all directions, to hear if it sounded hollow underneath, but nothing did he gain by either performance, and, getting cross, for he did not care to be defeated in anything he undertook, as a last resource before giving it up as a bad job, he poked a long stake into the heap of sticks and rattled it up and down in a very vicious manner.

Certes, but he was astonished, when from under the fagots arose a pink, fresh-coloured pig, with beady eyes and a snout as black as ebony.

"You must find it a bit cold living upon this hilltop with so miserable a shelter as these sticks," said Duncan.

"I'm not a common-bred pig," said the brute.

"Would it be rude to ask what breed you are?" said Duncan.

"Not at all," replied the pig. "I'm a Thunder-pig, at your service."

"What sort of breed is that?" said Duncan.

"If you want to know, just kiss me once between the eyes; it will save a lot of explanation."

Now, Duncan was not accustomed to kiss swine between the eyes, or anywhere else, for the matter of that, but he thought he had better not decline, as it was his fault that the pig had been disturbed, and one never knows what may be got by being civil to anything, man or beast, and the pig looked clean as pigs go.

p. 47

So he kissed the pig between the eyes.

The next moment Duncan felt himself flat on the ground, for such a grunt came from the porker that he fell over backwards from alarm and astonishment at the terrific explosion. And the mountain-tops so long resounded with the report, that you would think the echoes were never going to cease talking about it to one another.

"It's lucky you don't produce lightning as well," said Duncan, getting up with a wry face and bruised elbows. "I would rather have you for a friend than a foe any day."

"I am quite willing to be the first," said the pig.

"For myself, I don't mind if I go with you as a companion; I am rather sick of the life up here."

p. 48

"I, too, shall be glad of your company, and that's a bargain," said Duncan; "and now, let me introduce you to my brothers whom I see coming towards us."

So the three brothers met and told their discoveries, and introduced each to the other his new companion; then having nothing more to do at the summit, they descended to the glen below.

Even to this day there is more thunder round Ben e Bhreac than any of the mountains in the neighbourhood, and when storms are at their loudest round its crags, "Hark," say the good wives of Rannoch; "'Tis the witch of Ben e Bhreac working with her thunder servants." And the mountain is avoided to this day.

So, towards the west these three brothers, with their new friends, travelled all that afternoon; and just as they arrived at the head of Glen Nevis, the sun set. So they rested for the night under the shadow of Bennein Beg, since not for all the world would they have ventured to pass through that glen after nightfall fox fear of the three green men who inhabited it, and who were reported savage and fierce to all travellers.

IT was very early the next morning that the three brothers arose, for Dougald had put the Thunder-fowl under his plaid when they went to sleep, quite forgetting what would happen if he took it off suddenly

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As soon as Donald got outside the door, he looked round carefully and quickly, and, when he was sure the Troll was not looking, he swiftly planted the Thunder-plant in the centre of the kale-patch between the bothy and the road.

p. 52

"Not if I know it," thought the Troll, and he sat silent. But Donald continuing to call out the same thing, the Troll thought he might just as well have a look and see what really was going on. So he peeped through a crack in the side of the door.

And astonished he was at the size and beauty of the plant. He could not make out for the life of him how the plant got there; he had not seen it before. Then he thought this must be inquired into, for Trolls, of all creatures, are the most curious, and, knowing nothing, want to understand everything.

So the Troll forgot all about the thunderstorm, and opened the door, putting his ugly head through the aperture.

"What's the use of that plant?" said the Troll.

"Oh! it has the most lovely smell you ever smelt in the world for one thing," said Donald. "Come out and smell it."

"Smell it yourself," said the Troll.

"I have already done so," said Donald, "and was--oh, so astonished!" Which was anything but a story on his part, you, will readily admit.

"Bring the plant here," said the Troll; "for I won't come out for you or any plant."

"Oh, then," said Donald, "I shall carry it down the glen somewhere else, if you don't think it worth coming out even to smell it."

Now to think anything of his was being carried off made the Troll very angry; also he was seized with a desire to smell the plant, so he persuaded himself there was no danger in going out just this little

p. 53

way. Throwing open the door, he crawled out, waddled up to the Thunder-plant, and took a good long sniff with his ugly snout.

Bang! and you know what happened then.

But the Troll, thinking that the thunder was bursting under his very nose, as in truth it was, fled helter-skelter back to his bothy so swiftly, that, forgetting to bob his head on entering the low doorway, he dashed his brains out on the lintel and fell dead on the threshold, and that was the end of him.

Then Donald cried out to his brothers, and they came running up, and these three together ransacked the bothy, finding, as they expected, gems and jewels, silver and gold, hidden in the four corners, besides a lump of fiery-coloured crystal above price, stowed away below the hearthstone.

"Now, Donald, do you stay here," said Duncan. "Keep what you have fairly earned, while I and Dougald go a bit further on and try our luck with the other two green men of the glen."

So Donald stopped behind and waved a farewell to his two brothers as they went down the valley under the shade of Ben Nevis.

And it was not long before they saw a round tower like the first, built in the middle of the glen close to the roadside.

"That's the bothy of the second green man," said Duncan. "Go you, Dougald, and try your luck. I will wait for you here with the Thunder-pig till I hear you call out."

p. 54

So off Dougald went with the Thunder-fowl looking out of his wallet.

"Is any one within?" said Dougald, rapping with his stick at the little, low door.

"No," said a harsh voice, which he knew was the Troll's; "go about your business."

"A word with you first," said Dougald.

"That word will be your last, then," said the Troll, "if you don't move on."

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till I count twenty, then lift up the lid and see what sort of broth I can cook. Take my word for it, my friend, you will never want to taste any other after that."

"Oon, da, tre, cahir," counted Dougald, and scarcely had he got to the word "fichead" when the impatient Troll flung aside the lid, and, plunging the iron spoon into the pot, stirred up the Thunder-fowl that was sitting quietly at the bottom.

And the light from the chimney above smote suddenly on the red comb of the Thunder-fowl, and she gave such a crow that the walls of the bothy shook as if it were stricken with a thunderbolt.

Then up leaped the Troll, and fled shrieking with dismay towards the door, for he thought the fire had come through the roof; but so full of terror was he, that he quite forgot to bob his head, and so, dashing out his brains on the lintel, he lay dead and still on the threshold, and that was the end of him.

Then Dougald called out to his brother Duncan, who was keeping watch as he had promised, a short way up the road, and Duncan and the Thunder-pig came up to his call as quick as they could.

Indeed, it was not long before they had unearthed the Troll's treasure--gems and jewels, silver and gold, hidden in the four corners of the bothy, and a large slab of golden topaz, worth a king's ransom, stowed away under the hearthstone.

"Now," said Duncan, "you stop here and look after your possessions, while I go to the end of the glen with the Thunder-pig. Wait for me here till I

p. 57

return--I hope with treasure,--then we will pick up Donald and go home together."

So Dougald remained in possession of the second

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So Duncan went to the recess in the wall where the little window was, and where he saw the Troll-wife's bed lying in an untidy heap on the ground, and while the old Troll was busily engaged in redding up the large chamber, he whistled softly to the Thunder-pig outside. It came to the window, and lifting it in through the wattles, he made it lie down in the bedclothes.

Then he fixed the Troll's nightcap on the Thunder-pig's head, tying it under the chin, and having pulled a plaid up as far as its neck, he tucked it in all round, so that nothing was seen but a pink face under a

p. 61

nightcap. He then bade the Thunder-pig lie still, and not move till he got the word.

"Oh my!" cried Duncan, coming into the middle chamber; "here's a fine thing happened! There's something strange asleep in the bed; it must surely be your wife come back unknown to you."

"Good life!" said the Troll, sitting down with a plump on the hard floor; "you don't say so!"

"But I do say so," said Duncan.

"Whatever am I to do?" said the Troll. "Come, you won't mind putting on my clothes and pretending to be me for a bit while I hide. Yes, do; I'll make it worth your while, and she will be that terrible when she wakes; oh, I think I shall have a fit!"

"Nonsense!" said Duncan. "I'll tell you a much better plan; it's the very chance for you. Just you creep in quietly and wake her with a good sound kiss

p. 62

between her eyes. Take my word for it, you won't hear any more on the subject."

"Think so?" said the Troll. "I'm not so sure; she's so revengeful."

"Think so?" said Duncan. "I say so; I'll stake my life on it if it don't succeed, or if you have another row with your wife after you have done so, I'll tell you what, I promise to marry her myself." And Duncan laughed to himself to think what a real, honest truth he was speaking.

"Done with you!" said the Troll, as he crept carefully on tiptoe to the recess over there. Sure enough, he saw something pink, with closed eyes, snoring in his wife's bed. So without more ado or further investigation, for now he was alarmed to think his wife might wake up before he gave her the peace-making caress, he bent over the sleeping figure and gave it a good sound kiss between the eyes.

"Wake up, my lass, wake up!" said the Troll in a cheery voice.

Wake up? indeed, it was wake up! Had the thunder got into his wife's inside? Bang, bang, bang! It took but two steps for the Troll to cross the floor of his bothy in his rush for the door, where, forgetting just like the other two to bob his head, so great was his anxiety to leave the place, he dashed his brains out against the lintel and fell dead, crumpled up in an ugly mass on the threshold, and that was, the end of him.

Well, it did not take Duncan long to find out where the treasure lay, for he knew well enough now

p. 63

where to look for it. In the four corners of the bothy were hidden gems and jewels, silver and gold, while, stowed away under the hearthstone, he found three bags of pearls, shining so clear and clean, they must have come from the mussel-beds of Leven, so pure were they.

So he filled his wallet and his pockets with the treasure, and, whistling to the Thunder-pig, he marched up the glen to where his brother Dougald was waiting for him at the bothy of the second green man, and, finding him, they passed on together to the bothy of the first green man, where the eldest, Donald, expected them.

Then with mutual congratulations, and in cheerful cments\ESOTERIC\ ... 2008-08-26 22:51:22 : Checking target H:\Backup\Documents\ESOTERIC\ ... 2008-08-26 22:51:25 : Comparing ... 2008-08-26 22:51:25 : Comparing done. 2008-08-26 22:51:25 : Checking source C:\Users\sidney\Documents\My Business\ ... 2008-08-26 22:51:27 : Checking target H:\Backup\Documents\My Business\ ... 2008-08-26 22:52:54 : Comparing ... 2008-08-26 22:52:55 : Comparing done. 2008-08-26 22:52:55 : Checking source C:\Users\sidney\Documents\Religious\ ... 2008-08-26 22:53:02 : Checking target H:\Backup\Documents\Religious\ ... 2008-08-26 22:57:13 : Comparing ... 2008-08-26 22:57:15 : Comparing done. 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Status Summary - 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Total Files - Source: 254,188 (9.06GB) - Target: 254,107 (9.04GB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Excluded Files - Source: 85 (14.82MB) - Target: 4 (30.02KB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Matched Files - Source: 253,431 (8.85GB) - Target: 253,431 (8.85GB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Single Files - Source: 0 (0) - Target: 0 (0) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Newer Files - Source: 1 (216.00KB) - Target: 671 (197.61MB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Older Files - Source: 671 (197.61MB) - Target: 1 (216.00KB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Total Subfolders - Source: 6,637 - Target: 6,637 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Excluded Subfolders - Source: 0 - Target: 0 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Matched Subfolders - Source: 6,637 - Target: 6,637 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Single Subfolders - Source: 0 - Target: 0 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - To Do - Backup (Mirror Source to Target) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Files to Add - Source: 0 (0) - Target: 0 (0) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Files to Update - Source: 0 (0) - Target: 1 (216.00KB) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Files to Delete - Source: 0 (0) - Target: 0 (0) 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Subfolders to Add - Source: 0 - Target: 0 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : - Subfolders to Delete - Source: 0 - Target: 0 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : ---- Start Execution ---- 2008-08-26 22:57:16 : ---- Backup (Mirror Source to Target) (Source: C:\UserEngine::ProcessingDocument : Check HTTPS |00:51:22.678|iexplore|0x0000041C|3 | |RC_BTLB |Timing information for PreparingToTestingPhones 0 |00:51:22.678|iexplore|0x0000041C|3 | |RC_BTLB |CEngine::ProcessingDocument : --------Phone number is found------- |00:51:22.679|i