noon
Ane can still see amang the rougher stanes the rose-wrought mullions o ' an arched window , an ' the trough that ance held the haly water . About twa hunder years ago -- a wee mair maybe or a wee less , for ane canna be very sure o ' the date o ' thae auld stories -- the building was entire ; an ' a spot near it , whar the wood now grows thickest , was laid out in a corn-field . The marks o ' the furrows may still be seen amang the trees . A party o ' Highlanders were busily engaged , ae day in harvest , in cutting down the corn o ' that field ; an ' , just aboot noon , when the sun shone brightest an ' they were busiest in the work , they heard a voice frae the river exclaim , ' _ The hour but not the man has come _ . ' Sure enough , on looking round , there was the kelpie stan ` in in what they ca ' a fause ford , just fornent the auld kirk . There is a deep black pool baith aboon an ' below , but i ' the ford there 's a bonny ripple , that shows , as ane might think , but little depth o ' water ; an ' just i ' the middle o ' that , in a place where a horse might swim , stood the kelpie . An ' it again repeated its words -- ' _ The hour but not the man has come _ ; ' an ' then , flashing through the water like a drake , it disappeared in the lower pool .