luideag

"Rag." A mysterious female apparition of Scottish Gaelic oral tradition who went by the name of luideag, i.e. the Rag, or slovenly female. She was commonly seen near the Lake of the Black Trout (Lochan na dubh breac) between Broadford and Sleat. The luideag appeared near and on the public road at night as a young woman with a coat about her head. She did not answer when spoken to, and disappeared as silently and mysteriously as she made her appearance. An exciseman once spoke to her, first in English and then in Gaelic, but she did not answer him. Another man was found lying dead on the road at the place, and she never appeared afterwards.

❧