The Baobhan Sith Before long, the women were singing an enchanting song and the hunters needed no more invitation to dance. They all seemed completely enchanted by the mysterious visitors. By Graeme Johncock In the Scottish Highlands lurks the most sinister of all the fairy folk, the blood thirsty Baobhan…
Samhain While the supermarket shelves are stocked with plastic scythes and witches hats, this time of year meant something much different to our ancestors. By Rebecca Brown For one night every year, witches and spooks of all kinds are allowed to wander the streets. This night is 31st October -…
The Headless Drummer Boy ...round and round and round, rat-tat-tatting on his drum. On closer inspection, frightened castle servants would observe that the unknown young boy had no head. By Rebecca Brown and Illustration by Allison McKay Edinburgh is a city of ghosts. You wouldn't be hard-pressed to find haunting…
The Gorbals Vampire After school, hundreds of children of all ages armed themselves with blades and crosses, stakes and dogs and descended upon the city's Southern Necropolis to hunt the Gorbals Vampire. By Rebecca Brown In September 1954 in Gorbals, Glasgow, rumours had spread among the school children of a…
The White Lady of Balgay Bridge Never cross Balgay Bridge at night, lest you meet the same fate as the White Lady... By Rebecca Brown The story of the White Lady that haunts Balgay Bridge on the picturesque Balgay Hill in Dundee is one that is often told to children…
The Son of the King of Eirin On the morrow the son of the King of Eirin saw the King of the World, who said to him, “I have five swans, and you shall go to keep them; if you let them away you shall be hanged, but if you…
Bruce and the Spider If at first, you don't succeed: try, try, try again. By Rebecca Brown The tale of Bruce and the Spider is a well known one, perhaps due to it being a strong message in perseverance.In 1306, Robert the Bruce murdered his competitor for the Scottish throne,…
The Frog Prince “Deep in the woods, there is a well. They say that the water from the well is sourced from a prince’s blood, and it will cure any illness.” Words by Rebecca BrownIllustrated by Linley Barbour In times gone by, there was a Queen of the Western Isles.…
The Battle of the Birds There was once a farmer who was seeking a servant, and the wren met him and said... By Joseph Jacobs There was once a farmer who was seeking a servant, and the wren met him and said: "What are you seeking?""I am seeking a servant,"…
Mill o' Tifty's Annie My heart was broken first by love, Noo my brither's broke my body. By Francis James Child At Mill o' Tifty liv'd a man, In the neighbourhood of Fyvie; He had a lovely daughter fair, Was called bonny Annie. Her bloom was like the springing flower…