This story concerns an apparently real life mole catcher named William “Moley” Brodie, who only had one leg. “For over forty years, he waged war on the moles of Dee, Don and Feuchside”. It describes the decline of professional mole-catching, once a hereditary and respected profession, now mostly done by farmers or labourers. Brodie, despite losing a leg in childhood, became famous for his exceptional skill in trapping moles. He was known for his strength, quick temper, and generosity.
The story recounts various anecdotes, including an incident involving a decomposed cat mistaken for a giant mole and Brodie’s triumph in a contest at the Tivoli theatre in Aberdeen, where he won twenty pounds by restraining a mule. Another anecdote retells the story contained in the verse “Bogie Tae Burn” (Blethers). Brodie asks a shopkeeper how much toilet roll he can buy for half a crown. The shopkeeper says he can have as much as will fit between Brodie’s two feet, whereupon Brodie points out his wooded leg and that his other foot is in Kintore, sixteen miles away. Ultimately, Brodie is remembered as a master of his craft and a gentleman.