MacGillichallum The Witch Hunter

MacGillichallum of Raasay was a legendary Scottish witch hunter, relentless in his persecution of the darkest of arts. He was feared and hated by his prey in equal measure, with a reputation that spread across the Western Isles. He became so infamous among witches that eventually they banded together to turn the hunter into the hunted.

There wasn’t much sport on Raasay and so MacGillichallum and his friends decided to sail across to the Isle of Lewis one day on a hunting trip. The game was plentiful, the evening was merry and the plan had been to head home the next day after a good sleep.

However, the skies were looking fierce that morning and most of the group weren't sure about setting out to sea. MacGillichallum was keen to get home so he told them it was barely a breeze, but they wouldn't budge. He teased his friends for being cowards but that didn't work either. Eventually, at an inn by the harbour, he plied them all with whisky to see if that would bolster their courage.

When an old lady wandered inside, MacGillichallum called out for her opinion on the weather. She scoffed at the group for fearing a little rain, she'd only just arrived and the crossing had been fine. That was the final bit of encouragement needed and their leader was delighted when they finally cast the boat off.

His delight didn’t last for long. As soon as they were out of the safe harbour, the sea got choppier, the rain got heavier and the wind got stronger. MacGillichallum was an expert at the helm but even his bravado was starting to wear off. Just when the group decided to turn back and wait for calmer tides, a lone black cat appeared over the port side.

That certainly wasn’t normal, but the men had bigger things to worry about. Then a second cat suddenly appeared on their other side. MacGillichallum knew this meant trouble, but he had dealt with plenty of witches before, so he kept his cool. It was only when a third, then a fourth cat started climbing up the rigging that the hunter began to worry.

Soon the boat had more cats than men aboard and it was clear that the old lady from the inn had been part of their trap. It was the appearance of one huge black feline, more like a panther, sitting on the masthead that really scared MacGillichallum. He knew now that they stood no chance of salvation.

With no other option, he did the only thing he could think of. Drawing his sword and with his men following suit, they rushed the group of witches to do as much damage as they could before they met their end. Dozens were slain, but the horde of cats still succeeded in capsizing the boat and dragging MacGillichallum of Raasay and his crew to a watery grave.