Story entitled 'A Mhaighdean Mhara' about a mermaid in Shawbost, 1891

Story entitled 'A Mhaighdean Mhara' about a mermaid who followed sea-cattle ashore at Siabost [Shawbost, Eilean Leòdhais /Isle of Lewis]. It was customary for them to sprinkle urine between the sea-cattle and the shore, to stop them from returning to the sea. The sea-cattle were taken to a farm nearby and the mermaid followed. On observing the woman of the farm cleanning fish she said, 'Nigh[e] is glan gu math an t-iasg, Is ioma biasd a tha 's a mhuir', [Wash and clean well the fish, there is many a monster in the sea] which became a proverb in Siabost. One day the mermaid noticed that they had forgotten to sprinkle urine and she ran to the sea calling the names of the sea-cattle who followed her. The men saw this and chased them but only caught the last sea-cow by the tail and then it got away. The mermaid then remarked that if the men had had porridge for breakfast none of the sea-cattle woud have got away. Legend states that this is when people in Shawbost started eating porridge.