Rare Scottish Stories #2 Sandy MacNeil’s Dog
Sandy MacNeil lived in times of old here in Scotland and resided just outside of Cairncraigie. In his Great Grand Father's time, his family had been wealthy with lots of gold but by the time Sandy’s inheritance came around, all that was handed down to him was a few bare fields and an old tumble down cottage. Still, Sandy had a sunny disposition and wasted no time complaining - he was happy with his lot in life and grateful for it too. After all, he had plenty of friends and no enemies worth thinking about. He was as content as a laird despite scraping by with his lot in life.
There was one odd thing about Sandy though - he had a great love for dogs and dogs greatly loved him. In fact, they would follow him wherever he went. Whenever Sandy went to his local tavern to catch up on the news of the week, he would leave with a dozen or so dogs following him, whether he knew them or not and whether they had a master or not. Sandy did not mind the company of his canine companions and was fond of all beasts. The tavern regulars remarked that it was odd indeed that Sandy did not have a dog of his own but yet again, why would he have to when any dog was his as much as much his was it was its master’s. Still, Sandy did eventually get a dog of his own but it was not through his own doing.
One night, Sandy was walking home from the tavern and it was already past nightfall. He had stayed longer than he had planned to as the company was good and the talk entertaining. Still, he walked at a brisk pace as tomorrow was Sunday and he had lots of tasks to get done around the cottage before the Sabbath. It is a misty night with a pale moon lighting his way along the road back to his cottage. He had a feeling of being watched and he kept his eyes scanning along the hedgerows save something or someone should make themselves known. Still, he put the feeling down to a fox or badger and he shrugged off the discomfort - he had to get home in plenty of time before midnight.
As Sandy came to the crossroads, standing in the centre was a big black dog he had never seen the likes of before. It stood at the height of a calf with long legs and deep shaggy fur. From the round of its snout to the tip of its tail, Sandy could see that the creature was as black as coal. It must have had its head down as when it turned to look at Sandy, its eyes glowed red in the dark, like embers of a fire. Sandy knew all the dogs for miles around so he called on the dog to come to him. The dog didn't move a muscle so Sandy decided to walk past it with great caution. An uneasy feeling came about Sandy but he had never met a dog he didn't like or that didn't like him. Soon he heard the trotting of the dog behind him, keeping to its own side of the road, giving the impression that the dog was not of friendly disposition.
AI generated image of Sandy MacNeil’s dog.
As soon as Sandy opened the door, the dog slipped in too. It made its self comfortable on a stool by the fire and Sandy fumbled around the room to light a lamp. The warm glow of lamplight illuminated the room and Sandy could see the dog far clearer now. The dog laid on the stool with its head down resting on its front paws. Sandy was able finally to see the true size of the dog - it was twice as large as any dog he had ever seen and its size set Sandy on edge. He reckoned that the dog was tired and weary, perhaps lost and Sandy complied with the creatures need for some homely comfort. Soon Sandy busied himself filling the kettle and laying out his Sunday clothes.
Sandy was still somewhat disturbed by the dog and didn't feel entirely comfortable spending the night with this strange creature so he went to the door and called on the dog to leave. The dog did not budge. Sandy was not used to dogs not following his command so he perplexed that perhaps the dog was deaf. Sandy approached the dog and went to stroke the dense black fur on its shoulder to give it a nudge to leave. Sure enough as he did so, his hand went straight through! Jumping back as though he had scalded his hand, he was filled with the deepest dread and an electrifying chill ran down his spine.
There had been no fur or warmth on his hand and his hand had come down flat on the cold wooden stool. Sandy swore to himself that it must be the drink so he brought the lamp over to have a better look. Sure enough, it was no dog at all - but the ghost of a dog! Sandy put the lamp back on the table and kept his distance - he would meddle with this dog no longer. The dog looked at Sandy and Sandy looked at the dog. If Sandy was going to be haunted by anything, he was glad it was a dog and it seemed calm enough so Sandy thought it safe to go to bed.
AI generated image of Sandy MacNeil’s dog.
When Sandy woke the next morning, he thought to himself what an odd dream the night had brought him. Coming down the stairs, to his surprise the dog was still laying where it had been the night before. Sandy adjusted to this new way of life for many weeks and the dog never moved or raised its head. It did not bother Sandy and Sandy did not bother the dog. Sure it never ate or drank but Sandy knew it was not of conventional construction. Being well liked as Sandy was, he had many a visitor and soon word began to spread about Sandy's ghost dog. Little by little, the locals grew weary of Sandy and avoided him completely. Some even made suggestions on how to get rid of the dog once and for all. You see, for as social as Sandy MacNeil was - he liked his privacy and he did not like his affairs being interfered with. He had become the subject of local fear and gossip and his wits were truly at an end with the strange beast in his home.
One day in a rage, having been shunned at the tavern, Sandy took off his boot and hurled it at the dog. The boot passed through the dog, as Sandy knew it would and instantly he was hit with a deep remorse - so out of character was it for Sandy to hurt any living creature never mind a dog that he had grown so fond of. The dog lifted its great head with eyes glowing as red as ever and it took off from the stool and raced upstairs to Sandy's bedroom with alarming speed. Sandy chased after it shouting his apologies but the dog had had a head start. Instead of stopping, the dog bound right through the bedroom wall leaving a huge gaping hole.
When Sandy reached the room, the dog was nowhere to be seen so he stuck his head in the hole and discovered that it was no hole at all - but a hidden cupboard that had long been plastered over. From one of the cupboards fell a large sack of gold coins which then spilled onto the floor. Sandy could not believe his luck! It was his great grandfathers lost gold! He scooped up the coins and put them in a basket to show the townsfolk. Those that had gossiped about him had the least to say in sight of his new fortune. The sorry thing for Sandy was that he never seen the ghost dog again and he missed the beast sorely. A great companion it had been and no trouble either.
AI generated image of Sandy MacNeil’s lost family fortune.
In time, he got himself another dog, one of breath and flesh this time, and the townsfolk took to calling him “The MacNeil” out of respect for the richest man in town. Sandy also found himself a fine wife and built a new house which he named Dog's Luck.
Sandy MacNeil was very grateful for his original companion until his last days.
Copyright by Laura McParland taken from antique sources.
Not to be re-distributed in any form online or in publishing without written consent by the author.