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"I am so tired! Why does it
seem like we’ve been flying for a week? Let’s find somewhere to rest,
Bruce," Bonnie complained.
Bruce looked down at the
countryside below. Woods, rivers and hills spread out, carpeting the land.
Tall mountains were off in the distance, indicating they were very near
the highlands. "There’s a glen below. I’m sure if we land, we can find a
nice patch of buttercups or bluebells to rest on."
"You don’t have to say that
twice! Let’s go," Bonnie said. The two butterflies fluttered down, landing
in a field of tall grass that was blowing back and forth in a light wind.
"This is better. I don’t think my wings could have gone another mile!"
Bonnie yawned.
"Where are we anyway?"
"If my calculations are
correct, we should be in Glen Fiddich. The river Fiddich and Dullan Water
meet up here. Look around you. Have you ever seen anywhere more peaceful
looking?" Bruce asked.
"It is lovely. Oh, look.
There are some buttercups. I’m starving," Bonnie said and flew over to the
bright yellow flowers. As the butterflies sipped nectar, a herd of deer
came walking close by. In fact, they were so close that they knocked
Bonnie and Bruce off the buttercups. "Hey! What’s going on?" Bonnie said.
She stood up and brushed the dirt off her wings. "Who did that?"
"It was those deer!" Bruce
said. The reddish brown animals surrounded them. "Whoa! Look at those
antlers!"
Bonnie looked up. "It’s too
crowded. We’ll never have peace and I’m afraid of getting stepped on by
one of their hooves. I can’t believe I am saying this. I’m so tired, but
let’s find another place."
They fluttered off.
"There’s a town up ahead called Dufftown. It’s called the ‘Malt Whisky
Capital of the World!’ There are many distilleries scattered about the
town.
It’s filled with Pictish
history and a huge battle was fought here long ago between the Picts and
the Vikings. The Picts won!"
"Are you going to give me a
history lesson, or are you going to help us find somewhere to rest!"
Bonnie moaned.
"Right. Okay, there is a
Clock Tower in town. We’ll surely find peace there!" Bruce said.
They flew into town and
found it.
"I know you’re dying to
tell me. Go ahead. Fill me in on the Clock Tower!" Bonnie said, knowing it
as going to happen anyway.
"If you insist. It was
built in 1839, but not as a clock tower. It was built as a jail!"
"How did the clock get
there then?" Bonnie asked, as the butterflies sat on the stone walls of
the tower.
"The clock actually comes
from Banff. It had the nickname of MacPherson’s Clock. It seems this
MacPherson was a Robin-Hood-type; you know, rob from the rich, give to the
poor; and the Sheriff of Banff caught him and moved the clock ahead an
hour to make sure he was hung. Later, the clock was brought here, to
Dufftown."
Bonnie looked at the clock.
"Somehow I don’t think we’ll get much rest here. The clock’s ticking is
annoying. Where now?"
"I know where we can go!
There’s this rock, called the Giant’s Chair. It’s up in the hills. We can
go there, rest, and then come back to town later, when we’re hungry,"
Bruce suggested.
"Good idea. Please, let’s
go. I am just too tired!" Bonnie whined.
They flew up to the rock
formation, landed in the seat part of the Giant’s Chair and fell asleep.
The hours passed quickly. Bonnie woke up first. She fluttered around.
"Bruce, come on. Wake up! There’s a whole field of bluebells on the other
side of the hill."
Bruce yawned and stretched.
"Bluebells? Yum!"
They sipped nectar until
they were full. Bonnie looked up at the tall mountains in the distance.
"Bruce, if I’m not mistaken, it’s snowing in the mountains."
Bruce looked. Just then a
chill wind blew down the glen. "You’re right. Can you smell that though?"
he asked.
"Yes. It smells like
whiskey! With so many distilleries though, it’s not wonder. When we were
on the Clock Tower, I noticed that Glenlivit Whiskey comes from here. I’m
not a drinking woman, but I’ve heard of that."
"Many of the famous
whiskeys come from this area. It’s because of the water. Remember the
rivers we passed over?" Bruce asked. "Would you like to go and have a
drink from Dullan Water?"
"You read my mind," Bonnie
said. As they were flying towards the rivers, she added, "I like traveling
around Scotland. I’m learning all sorts of things and seeing so many
beautiful places. This glen is one of the most beautiful in all of
Scotland!" They landed at the river and sipped the cool, fresh, sparkling
clean water. "We’re lucky to see such pretty things as this," Bonnie said,
looking around at the trees, flowers and flowing water.
"We’re very lucky indeed!"
Bruce answered, smiling.
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