Another visitor, Angus MacAlister Ban, whose grandson told the tale, had more experience of the bocan's reality.

"Something seized his two big toes, and he could not get free any more than if he had been caught by the smith's tongs.

It was the bocan, but he did nothing more to him." Some of the clergy, too, as well as laymen of every rank, were witnesses to the pranks which the spirit carried on, but not even Donald himself ever saw him in any shape whatever.

So famous did the affair become that Donald was nearly ruined by entertaining all the curious strangers who came to see the facts for themselves.
In the end Donald resolved to change his abode, to see whether he could in that way escape from the visitations.

He took all his possessions with him except a harrow, which was left beside the wall of the house, but before the party had gone far on the road the harrow was seen coming after them.