A PRINCE OF LOCHLIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 82

A PRINCE OF LOCHLIN.

By

Kosmo.

of A tlm P 1 l \ ln , . S , cotland have heard vreeknn 1 1 \ llrl l>ool called Corryvieckan, or sometimes the Gulf of Corr'vvreckan which lies to the north ‘of Juia and between that island and the small island of Scarba. Its Gaelic spellings are various, as are also the meanings attached to the word. One meaniim thn ri “ TVre m an ’ °r C ° ir ’ a ’ McCain, is the cauldron of the spectred sea”tX\ h ” r t ’ ,e ‘; cauklron of foaming tides. But there is a legend which connects it with a prince of Lochlin (Scandinavia) who was drowned there when Ris galley wns overwhelmed in the rag waters. Since that time the wfctflpoft has been named C’oire Bhrectan, few the prince’s name was Brechtan. fhmJegend is the subject of our story \ by the way, is not the only one toZr of this Hebridean maelstrom. , S - tory told is of a ves sel which ■a • d ln t° the sound, and was makin rr for the vortex of the whirl” which, on perceiving, its crew hastt deserted the vessel in the ship’s boat | paving aboard a boy who wss asleep be- : »w deck, and was forgotten in their - tstrry. The ship was on the verge of the gulf Iki the boy awoke and discovered the Spence of his shipmates. With great of mind he seized a large tub cast it overboard. It was drawn the vortex of the whirling waters into the mouth of some sea monster, the waters closed over it. While it P.he whirlpool) was engaged in digestthe tub, the surface waters became K-.!m, and the vessel passed throiv-h. them . M safety.

According to another Gaelic legend, versified by Leyden, the Border poet, there is a coral cove under Corryvreckan, and there the mermaids dwell. It is related of them that they, once upon a time abducted MaePhail, chief of Colonsay, to their coralline home, and kept him there for seven months before he managed to outwit them and escape. Of this dreadful maelstrom the poet says:—

As you pass through Jura Sound, Bend your course by Scarba's shore; Shun, oh shun the gulf profound Where Corryvreckin’s surges, roar.

* * * In the days of long ago, when the sons of Lochlin, the great and brave Vikings, fared forth in their war galleys to seek adventures and rich spoils in the isles and lands beyond the sea, and to make conquests and settlements in many countries, there lived in the Hebrid Isles a king whose name was Ere.

Now King Ere was a great man, a renowned hunter, and a mighty man of valour in battle.

Loud was his fame in many lands; for his deeds and his prowess in fi"ht had been noised abroad from the Mediterranean even unto the mountains of Lochlin.

Many men answered to the call of Ere when he hunted the wild boar, red deer, hart, or roe on the mountain or moor of Diurath (which is now called Jura) ; or when the fiery cross of impending war passed from hand to hand and the war beacons blazed forth from the hill tops to summon his warriors with claymores and targes, with bows and arrows, with battleaxes and spears to fight against his enemies. One day he gazed from the topmost part of the tower of his castle over the sea, where the foam-crested, green waves rolled ceaselessly, and he marked many isles of the restless ocean which were held by his vassals, and which he ruled as their overlord.

Dear were they to his proud heart, both the great and the small, but still dearer than they was his loved daughter, Erca, who was as the very apple of his eye, whose golden hair rippled down her back in a shining stream, like some aureate foss which gleams ambergold in the radiant sunlight. Her blue, honest-gazing eyes matched the clear azure of the heavens on an unclouded day; her lips had the hue of the wild cherry; and the bloom which mantled her cheeks was as that of the wild rose in the month of June. Withal she was tall and stately, and of a supple grace. Deep down in his heart had King Ere made great plans for bestowing the hand of Erca upon Lord Sueno of the Northern Isles. In his mind's eye he visualised a great kingdom of the Isles ruled by his descendants, who were to spring from the marriage of the Princess Erca and the Lord Sueno, and his heart pulsed proudly at the thought. But Erca the fair loved not darkbrowed Sueno. In the innermost depths of her heart she cherished a Prince of Dreams. Not once but three times had she dreamt of him. She had seen him come from the north in his war galley. Bright was his flashing helm, adorned with the wings of the raven, as the sunrays glanced on its polished surface. Bright also was his ring-shirt of mail. His flaxen hair streamed from beneath his helm, and fell below his broad and manly shoulders. His clear, blue eyes matched Erca’s own.

One fine day in the springtime the Princess Erca paced the sartfis of the seashore in the Isle of Hath (which is now called Islay), and with her walked her favourite maiden and confidante, the Lady Shuna. Now Erca gazed much to the north as if the ship of her drcams and the Prince of the shining helm might come from that quarter. Then, said the Lady Shuna to the Princess Erca: “Why dost thou so long and steadfastly gaze to the north, my lady? Does thy heart long for the Lord Sueno to whom thy father, the king, would fain wed thee?”

And the Princess Erca answered: “ No, Shuna, my dear, my heart goeth not out to the Lord Sueno. In my dreams of the night have I beheld the prince of my heart’s desire, and some strange message telleth me in my heart, how I know not, that he cometh over the seas from the north; therefore, I gaze over the white-crested, rolling waves which are the roadway of his galley. And look, Shuna, look there to the north, do you not descry a sail which appears to grow larger* as if it were coming this way? ” “ True, my lady Erca, it even cometh this way, as you say,” replied Shuna. Then said the Princess Erca, gladness in her eyes and joy in her tones: “ Shuna, my dear, my heart whispereth to me that yonder ship cometh in peace and that aboard of her is the prince of my heart’s desire. Let us go to the haven to see if she approaches it. If it be even so, then shall we hasten to apprise my father of her coming, so that he may welcome the stranger.” Then did the Princess Erca and her maiden, the Lady Shuna, hie themselves to. the haven whereunto the stranger ship approached, on seeing which they hastened right speedily to the castle, yea even to the Castel of Ere; which was set upon a rock overlooking the surging waves of the ocean. And having arrived there they apprised the king that a strange ship was nearing the haven, and was flying a flag of peace. On receipt of this intelligence, King Ere called unto him Duino, the chief ’A his cxj. “Good

Duino, a stranger ship cometh into our haven. Take ye a strong guard and hie thither and ascertain what is their business with us and whether they come in peace or in war.”

Then did Duino, the chief warden, do even as King Ere had commanded. Ri<>ht speedily did he return with a noblelooking, tall, flaxen-haired stranger, who stated that he was the Prince Brechtan son of the King of . Lochlin. Haviim heard of the fame of King Ere as a mighty hunter and warrior, and of the beauty of thc Princess Erca, he had fared forth in his ship, the White Swan to offer himself as a suitor for her liana if so be that she looked upon him with favour. He was ready to undertake any reasonable task to prove his worth on the sea or on the laird.

When King Ere heard this, then was he much troubeld in his. heart. He desired not to offend the King of Lochl>n, with whom he was on terms of anl >ty, by rejecting his son as a suitor for the hand of the Princess Erca* for although the Prince was tall and handsome and, report stated, was skilful as a sailor, expert in the chase, and brave and mighty in battle, yet was the darkbrowed and stern Lord Sueno and his (King Erc s) own plans-for a kingdom Hmt d .7 rCr tO his heart tlia ” that this daughter should marry Prince Bieehtan and, perhaps, one dav be Queen or JLoclilin. c t So he said unto the Prince Brechtan: lairy je with me a while until we know you better and so that the princess, my daughter, may see more of thee and signify We shall ri-ht ?t° r ti? 7 ta j n y ° U in thc chase aild that ihV l l’ e * > & ° Prince Brechtan saw that the kings request was reasonable time C ° nSented to abitle tk ere for some

Right royally did King. Eric entertain a'2- PJ’. lnce . an ‘ l h/s company. Dav after day the hunters horn was heard or mountain and moor as they chased the wild boar, red deer, hart, and roe on thc bens, amidst the corries and alens and on the heath-clad moorlands.” At other times they sailed races on the sea galley against galley, with sail and with oars, and, on all occasions did Prince Brechtan and his men show themselves to be worthy in every way. In the evenings there were great feasts many toastings of healths, much quaffhm ot horns of ale and mead. And on one of these occasions did King Ere signifv his will in the matter of the espousal oi the Princess Erca.

“ Hearken unto me, O Brechtan Prince of Lochlin,” said he. I have seen thee in the chase, in sailing, in rowing, an.l in the mimic warfare of galleys, and none was greater than thee. Now’must I set thee some harder task than I would give to ordinary men; and I set thee the task of anchoring thy galley three days and three nights in the waters of Hie whirlpool, which you in Lochlin call a maelstrom, made by the rushing tides between the north of Diurath and the isle-of Scarba.”

When Prince Brechtan heard what the king had said he was troubled in heart, for he knew not of any cable that would stand the strain of such a test. He said, “ O King Ere, haid indeed is the task thou hast chosen for me, but thou challengeth my courage and my love for the Princess Erca, and I shall’essay it even unto the death, for, peradventure, it may hap that love will find a wav to success. But ere I essay the task I must return to Lochlin and take counsel with my father, the king, how best to perform it and to obtain his consent.”

And this King Ere agreed to. So Prince Brechtan and his men set the prow of the White Swan towards the north, and hoisted the sails and voyaged back to Lochlin. Then did the King of Lochlin welcome back his son Brechtan, but when he heard his news, and of the task that King Ere had set him ere he could claim the Princess Erca, he was wroth and swore in his beard. He was for sounding the tocsin of war and sending his men in a fleet of galleys to punish tins presumptuous King Ere who had set Brechtan such a task. But Brechtan said unto the king. “O king and father, with your consent, I shall eSsay the task and show this island king that no true son of Lochlin fears any danger, not even that of the dread maelstrom of those southern isles.” Then did the King of Lochlin call to his aid the sages and wise men of nis kingdom; yea, called he the cunning artificers of cables and 7opes, so that they might help him with their advice and their skill.

And they, after much communing, consultation, and deliberation, advised the king that, to aid th e prince in the accomplishment of his task, he should be supplied with three long cables, one of hemp, another of woollen strands, and a third woven of maidens’ hair info which no hair of any frail, fair one should enter; and that each cable should be firmly secured on board the prince’s galley and have a strong and suitable anchor attached in readiness to cast overboard in the order named.

The cables of hemp and woollen strands were easily obtained; but to procure that of maidens’ hair the king had to send his couriers unto all quarters of his land to explain his son’s need and to ask for the maidens’ tresses to be woven into a cable such as was required by Prince Brechtan; but no frail, fair maiden must contribute her locks, for if any «such were woven into the cable it would not stand the strain at that point.

Then throughout the land of Lochlin ere was a ready ’response to the call Iml r 8 hair; f ° r the ro > al tnM i pr,n , CC ’ Were mucll bcl °ved in tirm’n i d ’ tIC bcautiful Besses of its o'n daughters were freely given. But among t h ose who contributed was s rn. L T ?‘ air Was 1O ”S’ baa ’itiful, and f. .5’ J !*t o,l ee she had committed a nlfl?’-. 1'm 1 rendered her tresses unsuitwith whi 1 WerC - W ° Ven into the eabl ° uith which the prince was supplied beo? l her n 0 f 0,, 1 t ; tl,en l livin ° but knew o her f ilu it, and shej out of ]ove the royal house and the prince would Lochlin ” aH ' V youn " woman iu

So it came about that Prince Brechtan once more set sail for the Hebrid’ 1-les and the court of King Ere AVhen he reached there, he announced his determination to stand the test, and asked that a galley be sent to witness it and to take off his men ere he and his greyhound sailed on his ship into the waters of the whirlpool. This King Ere agreed to. b

Then they bent their sails for Diurath .-om.d, and after his men had been taken' off, 1 mice Brechtan sailed into the boiling waters of the gulf and cast thq anchor attached to the hempen cable overboard It held well, but snapped at the end of the first dav. so severe was the strain of the raging‘waters upon it. Immediately Brechtan cast overboard the anchor attached to the woollen cable.' This held till the end of the second when it parted. Then overboard went the anchor attached to the hair cable' . X Ihe third day was drawing nigh to '■ its close and still the hair cable held * the vessel securely anchored. But just ere time was up the hair rope broke where the frail, fair one’s hair was unwoven, and .the vessel rushed into the vortex of the raging gulf. Round it spun in the swirling waters till at last it sank into the maw of the monster. Prince Brechtan and his greyhound jumped clear, but the tossing tides caught the prince, and, strong swimmer as he was, battered him and flung him about till the life was beaten out of his body. His faithful greyhound caught him by his clothes and swam ashore with the body and carried it into a cave. There it was found, and buried under a cairn, which was raised to his memory. Then was word brought to King Ere and the Princess Erca that Prince Breclu tan had been overwhelmed and drowned in the whirlpool. The king felt some regret on hearing the news, but he thought that now his plans in regard tq the wedding of Lord Sueno and the Prim cess Erca were safe. But when he broached the subject to Erca, she said:—--“0, king and father, when you sent my prince to his doom amidst the stormy' waters, you sent my heart there too. For the future my life will be de? voted to those who suffer and need help.” Then was King Ere a chagrined and disappointed man. All his scheming had come to naught. His plans had been cm gulfed in the whirlpool of his own duplicr ity, for the Princess Erca proved mant in her resolution.

Since that time, according to tradition, the whirlpool has been called Coire Brechtan or “ Cauldron of Brechtan,’’ and is now corrupted into Corryvreckan. —Weekly Scotsman.