Other versions say the old man was Thomas the Rhymer, who is also said to be buried beneath the hill or to live inside it. A time slip, in which a night with the fairies lasts years or centuries, is one of the most widespread fairy motifs. Wikipedia lists a Gaelic tale, Aonghas Mor Thom na h-Iubhraich agus na Sithichean, or Great Angus of Tomnahurich and the Fairies, among the stories tied to the Inverness landscape.
The hill has also been linked to a prophecy of the Brahan Seer, said to have foretold that ships would one day sail round the back of Tomnahurich. The Caledonian Canal later did so. The Brahan Seer himself belongs to Ross and Cromarty, so he is mentioned here only for the location.
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