Travelling away from Edinbane, through an uninteresting stretch of moorland, we reach Fairy Bridge, or in Gaelic, Beul-Ath nan Tri Allt (The Ford of the Three Burns). At this point, where the three roads converge, we turn right for Waternish or keep left for Dunvegan. We find Fairy Bridges in several parts of the country and each has its own distinctive legend.
This one got its name from a time in Clan MacLeod history when the fourth Chief married a fairy wife. They had a young baby son but on the day he reached the age of a year, his fairy mother was summoned back to her fairy homeland and nothing on this earth would keep her from going. The Chief was strongly attached to the young boy and declined, by hook or by crook, to let him go. The mother made ready to go and MacLeod decided he would walk along with her to find out where she intended to go. He took the baby in his arms and as they walked, hand in hand, out of the village and over the moor, he pleaded with her not to leave himself or her child but to stay and make them happy. She was however determined to go back to her own folk as she promised and, just as they reached the little humpbacked bridge known as Beul-Ath nan Tri Allt, the fairy mother rose above her son and now distressed husband, on colourful wings and as she rose higher and higher in the sky, she dropped a piece of the finest silk which landed at their feet. 'Keep this flag', she said 'and unfurl it to the wind whenever a crisis hits you. It will save you and yours twice but woe on you all if you unfurl it the third time'. With this she disappeared from view and the MacLeod wound his way home, heavy of heart and thinking of what the future might hold for himself and his infant. The story goes that one night, a year and a day later, the fairy mother returned to the castle and carried off her infant son while his father was away at one of his clan battles.
The fairy flag was preserved at Dunvegan Castle (where it can still be seen) and over the years since that time it is supposed to have been unfurled twice only. The first time was when a very serious disease struck the cattle in MacLeod country and, as the Chief took out the flag, the cattle improved until there was no further sign of disease.
Many years later in 1578 the MacDonalds came over the sea from Uist on a Sunday morning and prepared to wage battle with the MacLeods, most of whom were worshipping in a lonely island church. They came in revenge, as the MacLeods had recently massacred a branch of the MacDonald clan on the island of Eigg. At the little church of Trumpan all was quiet and calm and the stillness was broken only by the poignant sound of Gaelic psalms as they were sung with reverence by the Gaelic-speaking congregation. The MacDonalds stealthily set fire to the thatched roof of the little church and in next to no time the place was an inferno. All of the worshippers were burned alive except an old woman who escaped as she was sitting on a hillock nearby and saw the cruel deed of the invaders. She rushed over moor and mountain to the castle and told her tale of woe. MacLeod thought what could be done and in haste he took out the flag and set it flowing in the summer wind. Just like sheer magic his clansmen rallied round from all quarters and made directly for Trumpan where they found the MacDonalds pillaging and plundering. As the MacLeods gave chase the MacDonalds made for their galleons, but alas! the cards had turned, their boats were high and dry in a receding tide and they had no choice but to face the enemy. The battle was short but fierce and the MacDonalds were slain to a man. Their dead bodies were piled under a stone dyke and covered only by stones. The battle was consequently named, Blar Milleadh Garaidh (The Battle of the Spoiling of the Dyke).
The fairy flag had once again done its bit, but for the last 400 years it has lain untouched by human hand in its glass case in Dunvegan Castle and let's hope the MacLeods will never again have the occasion to take it from its final resting place.