Tales of the Black Fox

Legend of the Sgàirn Dubhan

"I'll make this short and try not to waste too much of your time." now second-guessing whether or not this visit was really necessary.

"Go on." prompting in a genuine manner.

"That university in Edinburgh gave me your name. They suggested I contact you... that you may be able to help me with this old puzzle." relating how I ended up here in his office.

"The Celtic Studies group in Edinburgh?"

"Yes."

"Aaaah, I see... so I'll assume they weren't able to assist you." he deduced.

"That's right!" and then I detailed, "The professor there said I don't have any useful information. To be honest, I don't think he was the least bit interested."

"Solving an ancient puzzle is never a waste of time." Dr. Macdonald insisted just like a professor and then prompted, "Alright, let's hear what you've got."

"I'm hoping to find out what the "skirren-goon" is."

He handed me a notepad and instructed, "Here! Write down what you've just said."

"Okay... but it probably won't be spelled correctly."

After writing only "skirren-goon" I handed the note pad back to Dr. Macdonald and returned my pen to a pocket.

He barely glanced at what I'd jotted, placed the note pad on the desk and continued, "Not to worry. Just tell me what you know, even if it seems meaningless."

"Not much really... it's just something I used to hear years ago..." and then I stopped, wondering whether or not to continue with my seemingly silly inquiry.

"Go on." he encouraged.

"When I was young and growing up my Uncle Artie used to warn me never to go into the woods alone or the skirren-goon would see me. When I asked him what the skirren-goon was he wouldn't say... but simply said never go alone. I always thought it was the old man's way of scaring me... to keep me from venturing alone too far into the woods.Anyway he came from the Hebrides and spoke Gaelic so I've always assumed that skirren-goon was just another one of his odd Gaelic expressions." I recounted.

"A bheil Gàidhlig agaibh?" Dr. Macdonald unexpectedly tossed out. (Do you speak Gaelic?)

"Chan eil mi 'tuigsinn."  off the top of my head responding with the only phrase I could barely recall. (I don't know.)

He laughed a little at my silly answer and then inquired, "Did you ever learn the Gaelic?"

"Only a little from my uncle but I've not heard or spoken it in more than a decade."

"Your first visit to Scotland?"

"Yes... and maybe that's why my memories of skirren-goon might not be right."

After taking a longer second look at what I'd written on the note pad, he unexpectedly announced, "Strange thing that you should come in here and ask about this very thing."

"Why?" surprised by his comment.

"Someone else came here several months ago with an unusual request and could only give me two words." he recounted as he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket.

From that pocket he pulled out a folded paper, opened it and showed it to me. "Skirren-goon" was all that was written on the small sheet.

"The spelling's exactly the same!" astounded it was identical but I didn't recognize the handwriting.

"Aye."

"Coincidence maybe..." attempting to rationalize what I was seeing but instead questioned, "What's so strange about this?"