‘Once upon a time, when he was feasting in Stirling, the king sent for some venison from the neighbouring hills. The deer were killed and put on horses’ backs, to be transported to Stirling. Unluckily they had to pass the castle-gates of Arnpryor, belonging to a chief of the Buchanans, who had a considerable number of guests with him. It was late, and the company rather short of victuals, though they had more than enough of liquor. The chief, seeing so much fat venison passing his very door, seized on it; and to the expostulations of the keepers, who told him it belonged to King James, he answered insolently, that if James was king in Scotland, he, Buchanan, was king in Kippen, being the name of the district in which the castle of Arnpryor lay. On hearing what had happened, the king got on horseback, and rode instantly from Stirling to Buchanan’s house, where he found a fierce-looking Highlander, with an axe on his shoulder, standing centinel at the door. This grim warden refused the king admittance, saying that the Laird of Arnpryor was at dinner, and would not be disturbed. ‘Yet go up to the company, my good friend,’ said the king, ‘and tell him that the Gudeman of Ballangeigh is come to feast with the king of Kippen.’ The porter went grumbling into the house, and told his master that there was a fellow with a red beard, who called himself the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, at the gate, who said he was come to dine with the king of Kippen. As soon as Buchanan heard these words, he knew that the king was there in person, and hastened down to kneel at James’ feet, and ask forgiveness for his insolent behaviour. But the king, who only meant to give him a fright, forgave him freely, and, going into the castle, feasted on his own venison, which Buchanan had intercepted. Buchanan of Arnpryor was ever after called the king of Kippen.’—_Tales of a Grandfather._ It is melancholy to add to this story, that the last king of Kippen was hanged at Carlisle, in 1746, for fighting in behalf of the ill-fated descendant of the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, Prince Charles Stuart.