We at Na Gurnaidh have safely weathered another Oidhche Shamhna - Eve of All Hallows, despite the many bodachain and glastig who visited us. We did run low on the bribe of sweets, but luckily Jonah had some so we didn't actually run out. (I replaced what I borrowed from him, I hasten to assure ( Read more... )

I'm being quirky this Oidhche Shamhna and trying to grab a special egg from each of the six regions. Got five so far; the coast eludes me Got 'em.

alpine -
( Read more... )

by James Whitcomb RileyLittle Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay ( Read more... )

A friend was planning a small Halloween party for her grandchildren and she asked me if I would come and entertain them for the length of a short story. In costume of course. I told her that I would be thrilled to be there but that I didn't want to read a story - I wanted to tell them WHY we celebrate Halloween the way we do. Today, I put my ( Read more... )

This story appeared in the newspaper Mac-Talla on December 16th 1898. I don't know where it came from; perhaps from Sutherland itself? Perhaps Raven is the witch was was in the story.

Fada fada ron a seo ...

( The story of the witch in the shape of the hare )

This is from Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh #548, except that I rearranged it a mite and added in some of my own thoughts on the matter.

The Witch of Ballachly

( A long long time ago ... )

or
The Tailor Who Didn't Believe in Ghosts

I started this a few days back and got bogged down - mostly because the version I prefer is mostly in English and I didn't care for the ones in Gaelic. ... And because I wrote it down in a letter for my niece which defused the pressure to post it here ( Read more... )

It's a pity to trust the long Autumn night to him.There was a young man living in the town who didn't believe in witchcraft. He told himself night after night what a pity it was that those good nuts were left to rot at the head of the old woman and that it would be disgraceful if nobody ever got the use of them. One dark night when the family ( Read more... )

This is an old story from the Scottish Highlands which served as the basis of the Rory MacLean's Little Letter #359 & Letter to Gaelic Learners #663. In fact, I'm translating from the latter (with some additions of my own ( Read more... )

Halloween is almost upon us ( Read more... )