1. When talking about them to refer to them as 'da guid folk' so as not to offend.

2. The trows abhorred untidiness so the Shetlanders always made sure their homes where neat before they went to bed. If the house was clean the trows would bless the house but if dirty the house would be 'witched' for a year and a day.

3. Women who were nursing babies must be careful as the trows might carry off the child and leave an ailing changeling who would remain crippled or an imbecile until it died.

4. The animals must be guarded as the trows would carry off the best cow and leave in its place an almost perfect replica of the cow that would die in a few days.

5. Animals found dead in the hills were mere replicas of the real animals as the real animals would be carried off for a trowie banquet.

6. The only protection for women and animals were an open Bible, a lighted candle or two oat straws laid in a cross.

7. It was believed trows were powerless when confronted with iron so a knife and reaping hook were often placed beside something the people wanted to protect.

8. Men and women who were spirited away to the trows homes and allowed to come back told in great detail of the splendid underground mansion and elegant decorations.

9. Trows loved music and many of the Shetland fiddle songs were learned from the trows.

10. If the trows left something behind in a home it would bring good luck.

11. It is believed the power of the trows were broken after the Scottish reformation and they have not been a problem since . In Whalsay in 1850 some fishermen were believed to see the trows gather for departure. In Unst it is believed the trows left the island because they could not stand the preaching of Dr. Ingram, the famous Free Kirk minister who died in 1879.

Source: "Traditional Life in Shetland" by James R. Nicolson

You can find more articles in the archive under Fada 's Farsaing (Far and Wide)

Since February 1, 1999