The Legend of Graeme Macpherson

By Deb Kemper

I've heard it said, by those who ken such things, that a man who led a kingdom left it all for a lovely lass from another world in time.

So, this is how the legend goes; once upon a time there was a handsome man, twenty-seven summers old. He lived in a fine land and was laird of his castle and all the lands in two days ride. He was a good hunter and a lover of fishin' the lochs and burns in his kingdom. He was an excellent swordsman, an expert rider, and a superb shot, with pistol and arrow.

He started to dream bizarre dreams. In them he met a fine lady of another time. She was verra smart and beautiful. They swam in the burn and dried themselves in the sun. They rode their horses across the wild moor and made love on a bed o' moss by the water, sheltered from wondering eyes and wagging tongues, by a copse of cedars.

Through three years the dreams continued. Then a dark plague struck his land and bairns died from a wasting disease that took the elders just as fast. The healer mixed potions, the physician bled the ill but all to no avail.

A handsome man from the other world in time stumbled onto Graeme's kingdom quite by chance. He was a randy sorta lad, charmin' and coy. His name was Bran. When he heard Graeme's woes at losin' his young nieces to the plague, Bran offered a solution. His sister could save the children, 'twas her way, you see, in their world.

So, he left Graeme's kingdom to beg his sister to come back with him to save the bairns and the old folks before they all died off. But, she wouldna come across. Her work and her own mam dyin' kept her in her world. Oh, how she grieved, not bein' helpful to the proud people of The Macpherson's kingdom.

Bran, bein' a wise sorta man himself, when not chasin' women, returned and convinced The Macpherson to cross into their world. He hoped that Graeme could plead his cause and Lizbeth would be won over to help his people.

Graeme, proud and brave, agreed to meet her in their world but first he had to learn their strange ways. So, he left his castle and family to go across time to a realm where chariots ran fast with no horses. There were all sorts of strange and wondrous adventures waiting for him, but the most wondrous was that Lizbeth was the woman in his dreams.

He feared tellin' her right off, so he kept it secret and loved her from afar, well, it wasn't always a fer distance but you ken my meanin'. She agreed to cross over with him and see what she could do to help. However, no one could ken she was a stranger to their time or what her business was there. So, she acted the part of Graeme's betrothed. They even married in his kirk to suit his mither.

Lizbeth and Graeme looked near and yon in his kingdom fer that disease and Lizbeth found it. She had to take a bit of water and dirt back to her kingdom but she discovered the culprit and returned with Bran and the solution-a new well. She saved the children from certain death, the old ones as well. From that day forward no more passed from the poison water of the well.

Graeme loved the fair maiden and followed her to her world and back again. She promised to come to him forever when her mam passed but she dinnae.

He tried, in defeat, to live without her. He couldna sleep of a night or eat of a day. He was restless withou' the lass. Her soft touch haunted him and her love was cold in his heart. He had to be with her, no matter the cost.

So he bid farewell to all he kenned and held dear, sayin' goodbye to his family, he crossed into her domain for the last time. He lived in her little house by the loch and gave up all his pleasures until one day, when he could stand no more, he found a house near the ruins of his old castle and there they lived happily ever after.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1944979174
• ISBN13: 9781944979171
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Charlie Dawg Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"