The Mermaid of Galloway

The shoreline around Dumfries & Galloway is an incredible place, a haven for pilgrims and smugglers alike. The hidden coves and sheltered beaches were also rumoured to be a popular haunt of mermaids. They were beautiful creatures, but they weren’t friendly and stories involving them rarely ended well.

A young laird from Cowehill encountered one the day before he was due to marry. He was trying to prepare for the wedding but kept being distracted by an enchanting song. The laird searched for miles to find the source of the singing, every step getting closer to the sea. Eventually, he stumbled upon the most beautiful woman he had ever seen sitting on the rocky shore. She wasn’t a woman though. To his surprise, the laird saw she was one of the legendary mermaids.

He had been warned to keep away from them and under no circumstances should they be touched. But with the sweet song in his ear, he wasn’t thinking clearly and just couldn’t resist. Under the mermaid’s spell, he had forgotten all about his bride-to-be now. She tied her magical hair around his head and softly sang him to sleep. Once he was deeply snoring, the mermaid picked him up and carried him beneath the waves.

That night, the laird’s intended wife had cried herself to sleep. The love of her life had disappeared the day before their wedding and still hadn’t returned. She was startled awake during the night to find him standing over her, but something wasn’t right.

He had a sad look on his face and his hair was dripping wet. She reached out to find his hand and face were freezing to the touch. With tears in his eyes, the young laird’s apparition told his love to forget about him and find another. He was lost forever to the Mermaid of Galloway.