This story was collected by The Hebridean Folklore Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is; "To Keep Scottish Folklore Alive and Accessible. They publish a tri-annual newsletter and make tape recording of these tales available. Please check out their webpage which is our Site of the Month or email them for more information on how you can help keep oral traditions.

On a Mid-summers day on the Isles of Berneray, just a short ferry from North Uist I came to a certain Donald's doorstep. Drenched thoroughly and completely and looking forward to a steaming cup of tea and a tale or two from Donald. I was not to be disappointed for not only was I offered tea and a tale or two, but songs and his own poetry. It was an afternoon to remember.

When our visit was finished I wrapped up into my cloak, now dry and toasty and headed out into the day, on to the next visit. But, before I left Donald told me a tale about the standing stone which is there atop the first hill that greets you as you step off the ferry. He heard it as a young boy and told the tale as he heard it and so I share it with you, as it was told to me.

. One night this man came to his (Kenny's) bed in a dream. A shadowy figure, and he told him to go to the standing stone at the top of the hill here, which is a prehistoric standing stone, and at a certain time of the moon's phase he was to dig where the shadow of the moon lay and he would get treasure there.

There was a kind of a wild man who lived across the hill there and he used to go to the fishing and he had a roulette wheel and board and used to gamble a bit and he was a rough tough character, but ay, he wasn't really bad in any way.

But old Kenny had this dream and a man came to his bed three nights in a row and told him about the moon's shadow, and treasure and the standing stone at the top of the hill there. And, och, Kenny said, "I'll not go because the man in the dream told me to bring this wild man, to call on him and take him with me."

Well, Kenny thought this was a means to his death.

He said, "Supposing we found something or anything (treasure) we might fall out (argue) over it and I might loose my life over it." So he never went. The next week this man from across the hill came over to speak to him and he said, " You had the same dream for three nights." and Kenny said, " How did you know I never told anybody?" " I just thought you did, was it about the standing stone?" " Yes, it was about the standing stone and the moon"said Kenny. The same man had come in a dream to the old wild man from across the hill and told him the same story only he was to take the old man Kenny MacDonald with him.

And well the two put their heads together and decided they shouldn't do anything about it, both being a wee bit superstitious. Donald ended the tale by saying, "This is quite a true story, whether you believe in mental telepathy or whatever. It is very peculiar isn't it?" Sin a gad e

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