The Fairy Flag

The fairy flag is one of the great legends of Scotland. Although how many of the stories are true may be up to discussion, few try to deny that the flag is very special. No one knows for sure how the ancient flag came to be in the possession of the MacLeods of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, but rumors say it was given to a MacLeod when he fought in the Holy Land during a Crusade.

The legend says that if the MacLeods are ever in trouble, they need only unfurl the flag and they cannot be overcome. Supposedly, the flag has already been used twice in this way. In 1490, the MacLeods and the MacDonalds fought and the MacLeods were being handily defeated. They unfurled the Fairy Flag, and immediately the tide of battle turned, and they defeated the MacDonalds. A similar thing happened at Waternish in 1520. During World War II, many a young soldier from Clan McLeod carried a photo of the flag as a good luck token. Only the male heir has ever been allowed to unfurl the flag.

The brown silk is definitely not Scottish in origin and likely came from the Far East. The flag is said to have been a gift from a fairy, but the reasons differ. Some say it's a gift to an infant chieftain, others claim it came from a fairy lover, and still others attribute it to a reward for defeating an evil spirit. Today, it's tattered, darned remains are on display in the drawing room of Dunvegan Castle.

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