The Nimble Men
By Agathe Habold
A journey stone tribute to the Gaelic folk tale of Na Fir-ChlisImage provided by Agathe Habold
In Scottish Gaelic folklore, the Northern Lights were known as the Na Fir-Chlis – 'the Nimble Men'. These faeries are said to fight an everlasting battle, which we witness as the lights in the sky. They fight as dancers. The blood that’s shed during this conflict gathers at first in a red cloud below the aurora, known as ‘the pool of blood,’ before falling to earth, where it can be seen congealed as ‘blood stones,’ or heliotrope, found in the Hebrides.
An old story tells of a young boy who went out fishing and fell asleep in his boat. When he woke, he saw giants dancing around a great bonfire. But then he realises they are not dancing but fighting and his boat is adrift in a pool of blood. Returning to shore, he finds he has been gifted with second sight. The blood is thought to refer to the scarlet aurora that appears during particularly intense solar storms.
Many thanks to Agathe Habold for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.
WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?
Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?
In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.