The Granny & The Whale

In the late 18th century, the Hebrides were no stranger to transport ships passing by as they headed to America with hundreds of emigrating Scots on board. One story claims that just as the passengers were catching their final glimpses of Scotland, they noticed something moving in the water near the ship.

For superstitious folks, that's a worrying sign, whether it's monsters of the deep or angry, ancient sea gods! Bubbles rose to the surface and then a great beast suddenly broke amongst the waves. It was only a whale! Nervous laughter filled the deck, but it eventually turned to just nerves when this enormous animal refused to leave.

It swam alongside them, mouth gaping open and every so often bumping the ship to everybody's terror. They tried to feed it, throwing in dozens of apples they'd brought for the journey. Somebody even launched a stool towards the whale, which it swallowed effortlessly.

The captain was worried. Their travelling companion was getting more vigorous in barging the vessel, mouth still open, and who knew how much more the hull could take. There was only one thing it could want to eat - a person.

Nobody was going to volunteer to be sacrificed to the whale, so the captain made his own choice. One wee old lady who was travelling on her own without a family to complain or mourn her.

She took the news gracefully as the crew manhandled her overboard and into the whale's mouth where she was swallowed in one gulp. Right enough, the beast immediately disappeared below the waves once again, while the ship sailed happily on towards the New World.

The next day, a whale washed up ashore in the Sound of Iona. Excited locals descended on the animal with hatchets and axes, ready to harvest all the useful meat, oil and bones. But as they worked, they could hear a strange, rhythmic noise from inside.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Eventually, a hole was cut in the side of the whale and nobody could have predicted what the islanders found. It was a wee old lady, sitting on a stool, happily munching on a pile of apples!