Maggy Moulach

Maggy Moulach (kent as Meg Mullach, Maggie Moloch, Maug Moulack, Maug Moulach, Mieg Moulach, Maug Vuluchd, May Moulach, Meg Molloch, Manch Monlach an Hairy Meg an aw) is a chairacter frae Scots folklore said tae be a Hieland brounie. Bi the wey o the folklore, she had a son cried Brownie-Clod, thit wis said tae be a dobie. A dobie is a bit o a dull-witted, bit well-meanin, teep o brounie.

She is said tae be as heich as 2 ft 0 in (0.61 m) wi an muckle heid of hair or (an), as pit in other lore, wi hairy haunds; thit is whit she wis cawed Hairy Meg bi some for. In some later versions o the story, it is said thit she raxed doun lums an choled bairns. She wis able tae shapeshift intae a grasshopper an aw.

Legend

In the earlier legends, it is said thit Meg an her son bade in Tullochgorm castle, thit belanged tae the Grant family. She did the normal labours o brounie, but gied a haun tae the clan chief tae beat his opponents at chess an aw. She wirkit as a banshee an aw, annooncin the deeths o members o this faimilie.

Ither legends

A folktale mentions ae Fincastle Mill thit naebody dared tae win tae frae the freats o the brounies thit war said tae bield the mill frae fowk no alloud tae enter.

Ae legend tells hou a lassie snuck intae the mill as she needit floor fur her waddin cake. She wis approached bi the deobie thit she thrawn bylin watter at, garrin him tae win awa, tellin his mither, Maggy Moulach, whit haed happened.

Maggy later finds oot thit the lass wis braiggin tae her freends aboot hou she won ahint a brounie. She finds her, an thraws a stuil wi sic force thit it kills the lassie deid on the spot.

Anither legend o Maggy tells hou she fund a hame near a fairm. She wis sic a guid wirkit thit the fairm anwer boots aw the fairmhaunds an relies juist on Maggy's wirk. This gart her bylin tae the pynt thit she gaes on strike an turns intae a boggart, an entity seemlar tae a poltergeist. She stairts playin tricks on him until the fairmer brings aw the staff back on.

Moral

The story o Maggy Moulch's vengeance for her son coud be seen as a wairnishin agin muckle pride. It coud be tae remember the reader thit thare will be somebody thit luves ilkane o us, nae maiter whit we leuk like, an will git back on injuried duin.

The tale o Maggy Moulach an the fairmer coud be seen as a wairnishin agin takkin fowk thit gie a haun fur grantit.

References

• Faeries - ISBN 0-8109-0901-4 (H.C), Copyright 1978 Rufus Publications, Inc. Published in 1978 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc, New York.
• Folktales of England, by Katherine Biggs ISBN 0-226-07494-3

Bibliography

• Bane, Theresa (2013), Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology, McFarland, p. 322, ISBN 978-0786471119
• Henderson, Lizanne (2001), Scottish Fairy Believe: A History, Dundum, p. 16, ISBN 978-1862321908
• Briggs, Katharine, Mary (2001), An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures, Pantheon Books, ISBN 978-0394734675
• Monaghan, Patricia (2004), The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore, Facts On File, New York City, New York: InfoBase Publishing, ISBN 978-0-8160-4524-2