The Brownie's Coat He leapt off the horse outside the house of the mid-wife and banged upon her door. Upon answering the mid-wife.... Words by David WhiteIllustration by Linley Barba The brownie is a creature most dear to the hearts of the great Scottish families, for while shaggy, short and…
Scotland's first-footing Tradition Tradition asks for a very particular type of first-footer: dark haired men are preferred. By Rebecca Brown Scotland claims many traditions around Hogmanay, from crossing hands and singing Auld Lang Syne, to partying until the bells and beyond. One of the most interesting, however, is the notion of first-footing. …
The White Cow of Lewis Aine growing short of food, like much of the island had been forced to sacrifice her cow for which she depended on for milk.... By David White Callanish, a series of towering megaliths which have stood proud on a hill against powerful winds battering against…
The Kelpie's Chimney A legend, still told around Scottish fires to this day although the origin is lost in time, speaks of a Kelpie which lived in Loch Garve... Words by David White Illustration by Linley Barba It is known by many that a Kelpie is a wily beast. It…
The Legends of Heather Ale From the bonny bells of heatherThey brewed a drink long-syne,Was sweeter far than honey... By David White The legend of Heather Ale has numerous incarnations across both the Mull of Galloway and over the Irish sea. All are similar in that they speak of an…
Thomas the Rhymer He leapt off the horse outside the house of the mid-wife and banged upon her door. Upon answering the mid-wife.... By Charles John Tibitts Written 1890 Illustration by Linley Barba As Thomas lay on Huntly Bank (a place on the descent of the Eildon Hills, which raise…
The Witch of Laggan As the hunter sat listening to the howling storm as it whistled by, there entered at the door an apparently poor weather-beaten cat, shivering with cold.... By George Douglas A hero, celebrated for his hatred of witchcraft, was warming himself in his hunting hut, in the…
Taken by the Fair Folk Her husband, one evening after sunset, while riding in his own field, heard a most pleasant concert of music, and soon after espied a woman... By George Douglas Near the town of Aberdeen, in Scotland, lived James Campbell, who had one daughter, named Mary, who, was…
Angus & Bride The Battle of Seasons The story of the struggle between Angus and Beira is the story of the struggle between spring and winter, growth and decay, light and darkness..... By Donald Alexander Mackenzie All the long winter Beira kept captive a beautiful young princess named Bride. She…
The Brownie's Coat (early text) This an older and briefer text depicting the tale of the Border brownie. Good for those looking for less of a story and more a summary of events. By George Douglas The Scottish Brownie formed a class of beings distinct in habit and disposition from the…