Scottish Borders folklore maintains that a Soulis was involved with the
black arts being schooled with
Michael Scot, the "wizard of the North".
Sir Walter Scott made this Lord Soules - Sir William and gave him a familiar called
Robin Redcap in his work
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. In retaliation for a long history of cruelty, locals boiled this Lord Soules alive at
Ninestane Rig. The more likely culprit would have been Sir Ranulf (Randolph) de Soules of Liddel (born c.1150 and murdered by his servants in 1207/8) Soulis is also said to have defeated the Northumbrian giant, The Cout o' Keilder. The giant wore an enchanted armour that was impervious to any weapon but the wizard tricked the giant by knocking him into a river where he drowned. The water is known as the "drowning pool" today. There is a large burial mound near
Hermitage Castle said to be the final resting place of the Cout. ==Citations==