In the days before the Scottish uprising of 1745 against the English throne, a young girl fantasizes about riding a wild horse. With spitfire in her soul and a gypsy's dire words branded in her memory, Jeannie Main, 12, leaves home to go work in another household. In 18th century Scotland, Jeannie's red hair is said to have brought bad luck to her fishing family. Their fortunes do not improve with her departure, but actually worsen.
Jeannie determines that she will find and ride a Kelpie, a spirit that appears as a large black horse; she could either be carried off and killed by the Kelpie, or live to tell the tale and have her dearest wish (for the good health of her family) realized. Hendry's classic adventure is set at the time of the Scottish rebellion against the King of England; it is a high-spirited mix of imagination and Highland superstition, with a sobering tonic of history.
The Scottish dialect is made clear through a glossary that precedes the text.
Scotland