The Witch of Laggan

A hunter was resting in a bothy one night, with his hound by his feet while a storm raged outside. Just as he began to doze off, he heard a strange scratching sound at the door and as he opened it, a miserable looking black cat scurried inside. To his surprise, the cat spoke out, "I know you hate my kind, hunter, but I’ve renounced my ways and beg you to have pity on a poor witch!"

Moved by the poor wretch’s plea, the hunter let the cat approach the fire, but the witch had one request. She asked that he tie up his growling dog with one of her long hairs so that she might be able to relax without feeling threatened. The hunter was a wary man, so instead of tying the hair around his dog’s neck as requested, he fastened it around the leg of his chair.

As the cat sat by the fire, he could see that it was growing by the minute, but she claimed that was just her fur drying out. However, it kept on growing bigger and bigger until it almost filled the room and the hunter shouted that she had deceived him!

The witch replied, "Aye and you deserve it, along with your witch hunting companion MacGillichallum of Raasay, but tonight he has breathed his last and you will soon follow!"

To her surprise, on a sharp command the dog leapt right at her. While she was busy fighting it off, the hunter was able to grab his sword and stab the enormous cat in the shoulder. It screamed, threw the dog off and limped out into the night.

In the morning, the hunter returned home to hear some strange news from his wife. The Goodwife of Laggan was on her deathbed and it seemed as if she wouldn’t last the day. Nobody knew how, but she had suffered a grievous wound in the night. The hunter immediately marched over to the Goodwife’s cottage and in front of all the locals exposed her wounds and identity as a witch. She admitted her crimes, renouncing witchcraft and her association with the Devil before dying in her bed.

At that very moment, the hunter's son was walking home when he saw a woman running towards him at speed. She stopped to ask if the church of Dalarossie was close enough that she might make it before midnight. He replied that it was a long way, but there’s a chance she might make it.

As he carried on his way, two black dogs soon raced past him, followed by a man on a black horse. It wasn't long before he saw the horseman ride back again with the woman from before lying across the saddle. Unfortunately, the Goodwife's soul hadn't made the sanctuary at Dalarossie in time to escape paying the Devil.