30/05/2025
This is one of my favourite Scottish stories to tell on tours and it's a very important one right now. You'll understand why at the end...
It's about a giant called Thrim, who had been exiled from Norway for being a terror to society, biting off villager's heads and drinking their blood!
It's not like exile bothered him, he was large enough to wade through the sea towards Scotland! The giant moved from Caithness to the west coast, spreading chaos and misery as he went.
Refugees fled before the monster, screaming warnings that it was after blood. Eventually, the people of Scotland reached Applecross and that was where they decided to make their stand.
There was only one way to get to Applecross, right where this picture was taken, over the Bealach na Ba and so there the locals laid their trap. A huge rope was strung from mountain to mountain, then on the other side of the narrow pass, they dug a pit filed with sharp spikes.
The ground shook as Thrim stomped towards them and the sound of his voice filled the air, "I'm going to find you and I'm going to eat you!"
Intent on finding his prey, the giant didn't spot the rope and tripped directly into the enormous pit, impaling himself on hundreds of spikes. However, Thrim kept shouting the same threat!
The terrified Scots ran out to finish the giant off, hacking away at him until he was in a thousand pieces. It was time for a celebration and of course, they all went to the pub.
But they could still hear it. Back in the pit, a thousand little voices murmured, "I'm going to find you and I'm going to eat you."
A huge pyre was built over the body, burning for hours until eventually there was nothing left of Thrim but fine ash. Surely, he was gone for good now!
Then, a light breeze picked up and the ash was lifted on the wind. Then the trembling villagers heard billions, if not trillions, of tiny voices whispering, "I'm going to find you and I'm going to eat you."
Suddenly, they started to feel dozens of little bites on their arms, faces and any exposed bit of body. The Scots realised too late that they had cursed the entire country with the creation of the bloodthirsty midge!
