The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-03
THE MAGIC SNUFF BOX.
How st. Brandan Rewarded Ian
Dhu

How st. Brandan Rewarded Ian
Dhu.
Somewhere in the writings of the late
| Robert Louis Stevenson allusion is
| made to the quaint Highland legend
| of The magic snuff box" Stevenson
never told the story in full, however;
and it remains to most people as tan.
| talizing as that other untold legend,
| the tale of "Old Grouse in the Gun
room." in She Stops TO Conquer.
| Now when the writer last went ''over
| the sea to Skye" he heard this very
| legend Of the snuff box told much as
| follows:
| In the old, ancient days, there dwelt
| in one of the Hebridean Islands
worthy man named Ian Dhu McGillas-
| pick. The name of his little farm,
which he held in rentage from the Nc
| Donald himself, was Carnmore- na-tub
| berbrandan-a good long name, you
must admit, and signifying in the Eng
lish tongue, the big cairn of the wei
| of ST. Brandan."
| One day Ian Dhu McGillaspick was
| going down to the shore to take his
| boat for voyage to Oban, no less,
| when, CHANGING to pass by the well, he
| encountered grave, gray-haired gen.
tleman, who saluted him with dignity
| and inquired his name. On being tod
of Iaa's identity the stranger said: IN
me you behold st. Brandan. Pleased
am I TO observe the manner in which
you have kept my Well and to show
gratitude l will grant you boon.
l believe, Ian Dhu, that YOU
| like snuff
Ian's eyes glstened. Snuff was in
deed favorite luxury of his. Then
the saint took from his girdle hand
some snuff box of oak, full to the top
of fragrant, titillating mixture.
| Take this magic box, Ian," said he.
so long as you keep the lid Hospitality
open the box will remain filled to the
brim, no matter how many people take
| pinches out of it. But once close the
lid inhospitably and every grain Of
sniff shall disappear from Within
| With these words the saint laid the
| open box in Ian's hands and vanished.
| Ian tiled the snuff and found it ex-
| cellant. Overjoyed, he FASTENED down
| to the beach where his boat lay, ana
| offered his gift to the fishermen One
| after another they tested the snuff
But just as fast as one pinch was taken
| from the magic box another appeared
In its place. The snuff of ST. Brandan
seemed III good sooth inexhaustible.
| Thereafter Ian Dhu McGillaspick
prospered, and grew richer every day.
Presently he was almost looked upon
as laird. Ian, quite properly,
asccibed every bit of this remarkable
| good fortune to the snuff box Above
ALL You may feel assured that he never
| closed the lid of the box
! 1t happened, about this time, that
new lord of the isles came to rule over
| the dominions of the McDonalds; and,
| hearing Of Ian Dhu's rise in the world,
he determined to pay him a visit, IS
| great chieftains did by way of honor
ing the better sort of their vassals and
| clansmen.
| Ian Dhu was there to welcome him
and in his outstretched hand, inviting
| ly open, was ST. Brandans snuff box.
| still full to the brim.
| Unfortunately this lord of the isles
had been brought up in France, IN
1 which country it was a matter of ell
] quette TO pass the snuff box closed to
| superior. The chieftain was a
naughty man, and, seeing what he be-
| lieyed to be an insult, he cried out
iiereely to poor Ian Dhu: You rascal
| DO you dare to affront me?" Then be-
! fore the astonished Ian could get his
| breath tc explain the lord of the isles
| spraaS forward. and, snatchng the
| open snuff box, closed the lid
Ian uttered a cry and tried to re-
| cover his talisman, but all too late.
When the proud chief opened the box
he found not one single grain of snuff
within. St Brandan's promise had
been flhfilled-the closing of the magic
| snuH bCX had caused the disappear
| ance Of the magic snuff Then was the
lord of the isles more wrathful than
| ever, believing that Ian Dhu hal
played some cunning trick upon him.
Ian was tied hand and foot outside
his own door, without even a pinch of
snuH to comfort him. while the lord
OF The Isles and his followers finished
| the feast he had prepared But lust
| as the unfortunate man had given 10
all nope, who should appear before
MN but that very same St Brandan.
| VINO mad given him the box
| Never fear, Ian Dhu." said the good
saint; 1T was not your fault that me
| lid was closed"
| Quickly he cut Ian's bonds. removed
| his gag. and babe him hasten before
| the lord of the isles once more. Into
the presence of the chief Ian hurried.
! ana. throwing himself on his knees
made known the entire story
/ AT jlrsr the chief scoffed: but on in
curry, finding that the tales told about
the snuff box's capacity We're indeed
| marvellous, he began to believe. Feel
ing tull of remorse for having d.
| prived Ian Dhu of his magic snuff. he
| resolved to make PREPARATION.
My friend" he said to the farmer
i VIII make a bargain with you. This
snuH box is of no further us to Won
but l should like to preserve it as a
relic Of the excellent ST. Brandan. Give
it me, therefore; and in return I shall
| present to you. free of rent forever all
the lands which you now hold as nv
| tenant.
| Ian Dhu gladly accepted this offe-.
| with the grant of land he became a
| laird; ana his descendants, to this very
! day, dwell in peace and comfort ar
| earn more ma bhprbrop1o,