By Sharma Krauskopf
(This story I bring out every year at Halloween since it means so much to me. It is a true story as best I recollect it. The picture is the one my page is designed from - the hills of Scotland when the heather is in full bloom)
One summery October day I decided to go for a stroll above the Isle of Skye's Bharcasaig Bay. That day as I climbed high in the hills the only sounds I heard was the trickling of water and bleating of faraway sheep. It was a glorious day with an unclouded aquamarine sky. The sun toasted my shoulders and I felt magnificent. I climbed farther up in the hills than I ever had before. Suddenly, I glimpsed a streak of white in the distance. Curious, I marched toward the observed activity. The elusive cloud of movement seemed always to elude me. The air was charged with cold and a sense of ... mystery. I felt a sense of anxiety so I started back since the sky was beginning to get a slight tinge of orange as the sun reached the horizon.
As I came overland I heard a crashing horrible sound. The hills echoed with the noise of horses racing, men shouting, and the clanking of metal. What was it? I dashed over the next hill to see. Spread out before me was nothing but empty green hills dotted with patches of purple heather and yet I could still hear the sounds. .
The old legend stroked my body through a gentle touch and a whispered message. Never before and never since have I felt the unseen presence of a noisy charging throng as I did that day in the hills. I have come to believe the lady in white was running from that loud and fierce sounding force. I have often wondered if she got away and most of all what she had done causing a ghost army to pursue her.
As All Hallow's Eve approaches, I hear the folk stories of the "ladies in white," wandering in the hills repeated. If the tradition is accurate, my lady of the Bharcasaig hills will be running from that noisy phantom army for all eternity.
You can contact me by email at information@scottishradiance.com
You can find more articles in the archive under Island Miniatures.
I am a contributing editor for Suite101.com which is devoted to guiding you to the best of the internet and if you would like to take a tour please join me at All Things Scottish
.
 New |  Home |  Contents |  Archive |
 Scottish RadianceDesigned and Copyright 1998 Innovative Consulting Services, Inc. |  Radiance |  |