that no crops would grow on his land, no livestock would be born, as well as no children. When the MacLeod returned home he gave the box to the chief's wife. The wife, however, ignored the MacLeod's warning, and opened the box. Immediately a host of armed men appeared and that year, no children were born. The tradition concluded that ever since that time, the flag had been preserved for a time when such an army might mean salvation for the clan. Unfurled numerous times R. C. MacLeod wrote of another tradition which stated that the flag was waved at a battle in Waternish, in about 1580; and of another which told of how it was waved during a time when a cattle plague was raging, and that it stopped the murrain. R. C. MacLeod stated his belief that the flag would only have been waved twice, and so rejected the tradition of it being unfurled at the Battle of Bloody Bay, because the MacLeods were on the losing side. R. C. MacLeod also wondered if it had been waved in 1600, when the clan was in a desperate state in the midst of warring with the Macdonalds of Sleat. Supposed powers of the flag in the 20th century In 1938, a fire broke out in a wing of Dunvegan Castle, and according to Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, the flames were checked and extinguished when the flag was carried past to safety. During the Second World War, the chief of the clan, Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, received a letter from a member of the clan who attributed his luck during bombing missions over Germany to a photo of the flag which he carried in his pocket. Notes References Clan Macleod heirlooms Fairies Flag controversies Flags of Scotland Magic (supernatural) Mythological powers Scottish folklore Isle of Skye Silk History of the Scottish Highlands