The Twins of Edzell Now the villagers were suspicious of outsiders but courteous enough. She had married into a well-respected local family, and soon people began coming to Jess to have their fortunes read. By Cara Silversmith Many years ago, in the time of Robert the Bruce, the county of…
The Swans Swim Sae Bonnie Dark sister felt a malevolent seed of jealousy bloom within her heart. When once she held her sister’s hand, now she stood apart. When once they danced together, now she watched her Fair sister twirl in the sunlight while she stayed in the shadow. Words…
The Two Sisters and the Curse “Who does she fancy Limpet? Do I have a shot Limpet? Can you put in a word Limpet? Limpet? Limpet Ailsa!”Finally, the girl snapped. By Róisín McCrimmon A few years ago, I went travelling through Mull. As I made my way round the island…
Sarah's Second Sight The area around Rannoch has been renowned in times gone by for its seers, those with the so-called second sight... By David White The area around Rannoch has been renowned in times gone by for its seers, those with the so-called second sight. The last such person,…
The Kingdom of the Green Mountains At last, the man came across an old man, fixing the tiles of his roof. The soldier asked if he may have heard of the kingdom of the Green Mountains. By Liana Paraschaki Once upon a time, three soldiers, three friends, together decided they…
The Cruel Brother At the end of the celebration, her brother John hoisted her up on her horse, and said: “You are high and I am low, give me a kiss before you go.” By Liana Paraschaki Once upon a time, three ladies stood in a valley, standing tall among…
Will-o’-the-wisp In Scottish folklore, will-o’-the-wisps are variously depicted either as mischievous spirits (typically fairies), or even the ghosts of the dead, eager to lead travellers off their path and into their death. By Liana Paraschaki For weary, tired travellers, especially those fearing they may have got lost, there is little…
Maggy Moulach Maggy, standing at barely two feet tall, and sporting a great head of hair – or hairy hands – is most often associated with Tullochgorm Castle, owned by the Grant family. By Liana Paraschaki Maggy Moulach, otherwise known as Hairy Meg, is, perhaps, one of the most well-known…
Cù-Sìth Not only was the Cù-Sìth terrifying, it was also believed to be a harbinger of death. Unlike the Cat-Sith, who could only snatch the souls of those who were already dead, the Cù-Sìth could also go after the souls of the living. By Liana Paraschaki The Cù-Sìth, the magical…
Cat Sìth The Cat-Sìth is, perhaps, the most unusual fairy in all of Scottish folklore. The Cat-Sìth, found both in Scottish and Irish mythology, is said to be a fairy with the form of a large cat, often as large as a dog. By Liana Paraschaki The Cat-Sìth is, perhaps,…