This is Glamis Castle. It is often remembered for being the residence of King Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth in her childhood. Among the most assiduous guests here are the inevitable¹ ghosts, which are nourished, if not actually created, by ancient popular beliefs. These have been handed down over the centuries by a people inclined to live with mystery, with the forces of the supernatural.

Another attraction here is a legendary² monster: the Loch Ness Monster. Is it real or imaginary, this monster, which has been nicknamed Nessie, has collected a good 3000 sightings over the last 50 years? To fuel the debate about the monster, and perhaps also curiosity about the lake, a price of 500,000 pounds sterling³ has been put on Nessie's head.

The true flag of Scotland, tartan, is recognizable from the brightly coloured plaid patterns which are used to distinguish the various clans⁴. Over the last few decades this fabric⁵ has made a comeback and is part of the daily life of this country.

The typical Scottish garment, the kilt, is de rigeur when the Scots play the Great Highland⁶ bagpipes⁷, especially when they march in parades.

Bagpipes and reels open the competitions of local sporting events, which are called Highland Gatherings⁸. The games, which have strange rules, involve a spirit that has more to do with brute⁹ force than with athletics¹⁰. ( finished)

（续）格拉姆斯城堡之所以名闻遐迩，却是因为这里是苏格兰国王麦克佩斯与儿时的伊丽莎白女王的住所。如今这里最相看无厌的当数传说中挥之不去的幽灵，这些幽灵即使不是凭空捏造的，也就是源于世代相传的古老信仰。苏格兰人似乎生来就就喜欢与神秘事物生活在一起，笃信超自然的力量，因此才有了这些世代相传的传说和幽灵。

这里的另一个看点则是充满传奇色彩的尼斯湖的怪兽。真假姑且不论，这个昵称尼西的怪兽在过去的半个世纪中已经吸引了3,000余名游客。如今它头上有50万英镑的悬赏，更使得关于它存在的争论日益激烈，或许对该湖的好奇也会日盛吧。

苏格兰格子呢是苏格兰真正的旗帜。它色彩鲜明的花格子图案曾经是区分不同宗族的标志。在过去几十年里，格子呢在苏格兰再度流行，如今则已在日常生活中不可或缺。

苏格兰传统的褶裥短裙按照礼节是应该在苏格兰人演奏著名的高地风笛时穿的，尤其是列队前进的时候。

风笛与里尔舞揭开了苏格兰高地运动盛会的序幕。运动会的比赛项目规则奇特，赛事的主题与其说是竞技比赛，不如说是蛮力的较量。（完）