Ghost story about a woman and newborn child, 20 January 1871

Story collected from Hector MacLeod, aged 85, at Caisteal Bhuirgh/Borve Castle, Lionacleit/Linaclate, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula, about a man in Ìochdar, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist who encountered a woman outside his home with a crying child. She told him that the King of France sent her to the Eilean an Iar [Western Isles] but on her arrival at South Uist she did not like it so she decided to go to North Uist [Uibhist a Tuath]. While crossing the ford she went into labour at Heastamal Isle [Heisteamul] and told him that the tide had brought her down but her child had been found and buried at the graveyard Braobh-Fhaothail [Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula]. She said that a man had disturbed 'the repose of the child' and that the gold her father had given her she had hidden on Heistamul. She said that if he kept her secret then in three years she would be rich but he thought that this was a 'buaireadh' [temptation] so he told the secret and when they met again the woman upbraided him and told him that this would be his misfortune for ever. Several people were said to have seen this woman and her child.