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Bennachie

Folklore

I would think this is story between Bennachie and Tap O Noth Rhiannon is looking for.

'It is easy to see how this elemental landscape has generated legends. The causeway and the fort were built by the Devil or by Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquahain as a secure rape-camp for the local girls he abducted. In reality the causeway could be early medieval or prehistoric route to the fort. The giant Jock O Bennachie lived here. Little John's Length to the east of Craigshannoch is his bed; assuming he slept full-length he was 600ft 9183m) tall. North-west of Craigshannoch a shirt shaped surface is where he dried his clothes. The Giant threw boulders at TAP O NOTH, especially after its resident guardian stole his girlfriend Anne. Jock then met a strange woman he mistook for the Lady Anne; when they kissed he sank into an enchanted sleep beneath the mountain. Only when a certain woman finds the magical key will he be released. A man once found the key, but couldn't turn it in the great lock. He put his hat on the key to mark the place and went to get help. When the party returned, key, lock and hat had all vanished.'

McConnochie's Bennachie

Not to be outdone this prophecy became legend:

'Scotland will never be rich, be rich,
Till they find the keys of Bennachie,
They shall be found by a wife's ae son, wi ae e'e,
Aneath a juniper tree.'

Thomas The Rhymer

(3rd line translation "ae" means one and "wi ae e'e" is with one eye. Seems perfect english to me ye ken!)
drewbhoy Posted by drewbhoy
26th February 2010ce
Edited 26th February 2010ce

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