Pride, as the saying goes, comes before a fall, and on this Highland hillside it has arrived with spectacular timing.
Our distinguished Highland laird, resplendent in tweed jacket, tartan kilt and sturdy hill boots, has met the heather in the most undignified way imaginable. Flat on his back, boots pointing skyward, kilt in glorious disarray and sporran perched precariously, he stares upside down at the world with wide eyes and an open mouth, hands splayed in a belated attempt to catch himself. His tartan bonnet, with its jaunty red toorie, feather and a single daisy, has rolled just out of reach.
Standing on a boulder above him, his faithful lurcher watches the whole affair with tongue lolling and tail high. There is no concern here, only a look of pure delight, and the unmistakable air of a dog who will be telling this story for years. Further up the slope, a stag looks on from beneath the Scots pines, quietly unimpressed.
Every detail rewards a closer look: the drifts of purple and pink heather in full bloom, the lichen-dappled rocks, the glittering loch and the layered blue mountains rolling away beneath a bright, cloud-scattered sky. It is a richly detailed, warmly humorous celebration of Highland life, where the scenery is magnificent, the tweed is impeccable and the terrain always has the last word.
McLurcher™ The Fall is part of the McLurcher™ Collection from Ellie White, a series of affectionate, laugh-out-loud illustrations celebrating the misadventures of the Highlands. It is a perfect choice for lovers of Scottish humour, dog lovers, countryside enthusiasts and anyone who has ever taken an unexpected tumble and lived to tell the tale.