It is said she can be found by streams of pools washing the clothes of those who are about to die. But it is also a land with many mystical creatures that may just hunt you down or help you out. Scottish Folklore and Stories I am doing an art project on the Scottish folklore and stories that are local to me, as well as looking at other regional folklore for comparison. The bean nighe (Scottish Gaelic for ‘washerwoman’) haunts desolate streams and washes blood from the clothing of those about to die. To some she has appeared as an old hag with webbed feet, one nostril and one protruding tooth, and on the Isles of Mull and Tiree she has breasts so long she throws them over her shoulders to hang down her back. London: Published for the Folk-Lore Society by David Nutt, 1901. Bean nigheare believed to be the spirits of women who died in childbirth, now doomed to was… It is therefore not surprising that Scotland has an extensive heritage of myths and legends. Otta F Swire, has it that Cuchullin, the Hero of Ulster, unbeaten in battle, heard of Sgathaich and her school. Here are some of the myths and legends that visitors still hear whispered in the green rolling hills of Scotland. Accepting cookies from us really helps us to run this site. When she failed to return, he sent his second oldest daughter, and so on and so on. The Kelpie The Kelpie is … The Laird harnessed the strength of the horse-form Kelpie by using halter stamped with the sign of a cross. The large dinosaur-like creature is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Gather round as Elsie Maclean from Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches spins a story! The piper was never seen again. Selkie Small villages with tightly knit communities and large mountain landscapes make up the charm of the Highlands. A Brownie is a legendary elf popular in folklore around Scotland. The first recorded sighting of the monster was nearly 1,500 years ago when a giant beast is said to have leaped out of a lake near Inverness and eaten a local farmer. dailyrecord See more ideas about Folklore, Mythical creatures, Celtic mythology. Scottish traditional music to listen to on a musical journey through Scotland . Robert Burns alludes to this idea in his 1786 poem “Address to the Deil.”. The kelpie would appear to its victims as a lost dark grey or white pony but could be identified by its constantly dripping mane. With druids and witches and deeply rooted superstitions, the folkloric pot of Scotland bubbles over with stories for children, fairy tales, and legends of lore. Dozens of sightings have since been claimed, many of which have turned out to be hoaxes. While many of the themes are similar to other European folk-tales, this collection emphasizes specifically Scottish aspects of … An unlikely alliance of Christians, communists and the National Union of Teachers blamed imported American horror comic books for the mass hysteria. In 2009, a newspaper reader claims to have spotted ‘Nessie’ whilst browsing Google Earth’s satellite photos of Loch Ness. L. Loch Ness Monster. Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren. This is a Scottish fairy tale seen as an open of death. The police were called but couldn’t move the children, it took a local head teacher to finally disperse the crowd. Scottish and Irish Lore About Vampires. Scottish Fairy Tales. Scottish Halloween traditions . In this edition, the selkie already had a husband of her own kind in the ocean before she was forced to stay on land. We want to make it as easy as possible to navigate the myths and legends of Scotland, so we have compiled the stories on our website into regional collections. No animal of substantial size was found and, despite their reported hopes, the scientists admitted this “proved” the Loch Ness Monster was a myth. Bean-Nighe is the Scottish Gaelic for 'washer woman'. Since then, the myth of the Loch Ness Monster has magnified. Some stories from Shetland have selkies luring islanders into the sea at midsummer, the lovelorn humans never returning to dry land. Finn is supposed to have been the father of Ossian, traditional bard of the Gaels. London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, 1865. Years later, the selkie found her skin and later escaped back to seal form and to the sea, leaving her own children behind, never to return. Collected and illustrated by Cuthbert Bede. Perhaps sensing that it was no match for the baying mob, the dragon attempted to make it’s escape, but a young man named Martin caught up with it. Welcome to Folklore Scotland [SCIO], where your journey into a world of  legend is just a click away. Walk down the city’s High Street, and you’ll come face to face with a statue of the dragon. Another legend surrounds Norse king Breacan. There are many supernatural creatures to be found in Scottish folklore. Cierein Croin, a gigantic sea serpent is said to be the largest creature ever. The large dinosaur-like creature is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Background. 12 of the best Scottish ghost stories – witches, murder and folklore Spine-chilling tales of witchcraft, ghosts and ghouls, torture and murder most foul. Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe 1.71K. The boat was subsequently dragged under. Nursery Stories. Every Saturday at sunrise, the Stoor Worm would wake, open his cavernous mouth and yawn nine times. It was said that the purity of the maidens’ hair would make the rope unbreakable. You can learn more about our mission on our About Us page. He would ride for the midwife, and in Cornwall he caused swarming bees to settle quickly. It is small wonder that our dragons were not flying, fire-breathing creatures but fierce sea serpents such as Orkney’s Stoorworm, borrowed from Viking legend. In desperation the king eventually issued a proclamation offering his kingdom, his daughter's hand in marriage and a magic sword to anyone who could destroy the monster. The music droned on for hours, slowly fading away until it couldn’t be heard. Bradley, Edward. 3: Examples of Printed Folk-lore Concerning the Orkney and Shetland Islands. There are animal tales, stories of the fairies of Scotland including Brownies, Bogles, Kelpies, Mermaids and others, and tales of Witches and of Giants. Sgathaich and the Warrior School. The Milk-White Doo. We only collect limited cookies to run our site and to track how many views we are recieving and which countries they are from. The king of one country threatened by the beast's arrival was advised to offer it a weekly sacrifice of seven virgins. BODACHAN SABHAILL (LITTLE OLD MAN OF THE BARN): A spirit who haunted barns in Scotland. Soon he became revered in Scotland and, boosted by the Ossianic heroic verse and songs, his name was a natural choice to assign to this dramatic and awe-inspiring cavern. Much like the brownie, he would occupy his time doing farm chores. Taken from: Witchcraft Second Sight In The Highlands Islands Of Scotland by John Gergorson Campbell, I story about a man sensing the situation of his son at a distance. ‘Nessie’ has a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Skip to content. Regardless of the truth, the suggestion of the monster’s existence makes Loch Ness one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions with thousands visiting its shores each year with the hope of catching a rare glimpse of the famous monster. In Scottish folklore, kelpies are shape-shifting, horse-like water spirits said to have the strength of 100 horses. Larrington also reveals how such stories continue to inspire modern writers and artists. One specific story talks of a Kelpie captured by the Laird of Morphie. One of Scotland’s most famous unsolved mysteries is that of the Loch Ness Monster (or ‘Nessie’ as it has affectionately come to be known). When all had failed to return, he went to investigate, only to find the slain bodies of his nine lovely daughters strewn across the ground by the well. The typically stormy Scottish weather, not one to disappoint, made the spider’s task difficult as droplet after droplet destroyed the creatures intricate work. The Brownies are said to inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. Cancel Unsubscribe. This Halloween, meet the supernatural creatures to be found in Scottish folklore and hear the stories told by people from the communities where the tales originated. He was born in 1274 at Lochmaben castle where he was Knight and Overlord of Annandale. Bean-Nighe. In addition to compiling a diverse selection of folk tales on our website, we are also working with our sister site, Albion Adventures to develop an app. When you picture Scotland in all its mythical grandeur, the first place your mind will visit is the Highlands. A stage play, and a graphic novel have told the story of the Gorbals Vampire, and a large mural of the beast guards a local railway arch. After the story appeared in the local press, it gained worldwide coverage. Thus, here are 7 Scottish folklore … We hope to build on our collection of stories by working with our team, contributors and partners. Menu. In Scottish folklore, Black Donald is the Devil. Apart from Scottish folklore, this figure can also be found in the mythology of Ireland, though she is called by a slightly different name. Known for its natural acoustics, the origins of its name are unknown. Yes, Nessie is clas… After a busy day of work, the farmer sent his eldest daughter to gather water from a nearby well. According to some sources, she is known also as the Cailleach, a name which is said to be translated literally into English from Gaelic as ‘veiled one’. A very old legend surrounds Dun Sgathaich Castle in the Isle of Skye, in which it is said Sgathaich, a warrior ran her ‘school for heroes’. It is probably an Orkney variant of the Norse Jormungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent, or world serpent, and has been described as a sea dragon. There is an introduction to Celtic Mythology and Celtic Folklore. Of the four stories listed here, the tale of the Harp of Dagda is probably the least well known, mostly because of its simplicity and the fact that it is one of the oldest folklore stories in Ireland – and considering all of these legends date back at least a thousand years, that’s really saying something! We want to make it as easy as possible to navigate the myths and legends of Scotland, so we have compiled the stories on our website into regional collections. He resided in a cave for three months, at the lowest point of his life and struggling to come up with a plan about what to do next, contemplating leaving the country never to return. You might see them lurking by Scotland’s lochs and rivers. The Gorbals Vampire. Many of the Highland communities preserve the Gaelic language and myths and legends still seem to be alive within this region. Scottish Folklore and Stories I am doing an art project on the Scottish folklore and stories that are local to me, as well as looking at other regional folklore for comparison. The land synonymous to kilts and bagpipes. Ultimately, we seek to utilise a strengthened engagement with fantasy to help the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage through the art of traditional storytelling with a 21st century twist. Stories of Aberdeenshire . In 1954, hundreds of young kids from the Gorbals area of Glasgow swarmed into the creepy Necropolis graveyard. Loading... Unsubscribe from Austin Hackney? According to the stories of most parents, the bodach would only bother bad or naughty children. They do not like being seen and mostly come out at night and in exchange they get small gifts or a little food. Rarely seen, he was often heard at night, cleaning and doing housework; he also sometimes mischievously disarranged rooms. This app will use audio, visual and written elements to immerse the user in a story as they make their way around real sites from Scottish folklore. In days gone by, a dark network of tunnels was said to extend from the Cove of Grennan to the cliffs of Clanyard Bay, near Stranraer. The prince had three ropes made, one from hemp, one from wool and one from maidens’ hair. Scottish tartan – explained . Advertisement . Black, George Fraser, and Northcote W. Thomas. Robert the Bruce was inspired by the spider’s efforts, so decided to get up and face another fight. What’s particularly interesting from this article’s point of view is that Scotland was once viewed as the hotspot for vampirism hundreds of years before Eastern Europe became famous for its blood sucking counts. 1. As a body, we seek to promote and preserve Scottish folkloric heritage by telling the tales of the past with the technology of today. In addition to the ubiquitous legends of the Irish mermaids (the merrows and Scottish selkies) there are other mythical sea creatures from Gaelic folklore. Every land has its tales of dragons, but Scotland is an island country, bound to the sea. The adults wouldn’t believe the kids, so the kids decided to deal with this monster once and for all – by themselves. Some say it became known as Fingal's Cave after the eponymous hero of an epic poem by 18th-century Scots poet-historian James Macpherson, who claimed to have translated the poem from ancient Gaelic. After being defeated in battle in 1306 by the Earl of Pembroke at Methven, Robert the Bruce went into hiding, supposedly in the Western Isles. Brownie, in English and Scottish folklore, a small, industrious fairy or hobgoblin believed to inhabit houses and barns. In 1934, a London doctor snapped a photograph that seemed to show a dinosaur looking creature emerging from the water. There was also an American comic book at that time entitled: “The Vampire with the Iron Teeth”. Others claim Around 250 AD Finn MacCumhaill, or Fingal, was possibly an Irish general who had a band of faithful warriors. ‘Nessie’ has a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Perhaps it’s the wind whistling through the old underground caves, maybe it’s just a trick of the mind, or maybe…just maybe, it’s the spirit of the piper, playing his Scottish melodies forevermore. There are several stories of phantom pipers throughout Scottish history and folklore. In 2003, the BBC sponsored a search of the loch using 600 sonar beams and satellite tracking. Learn about the stories that shaped Scotland. Folklore Scotland [SCIO] Charity No.SC050357. He would then demand a meal of seven virgins for as the old tales records: "although he was a venomous beast, he had a dainty taste.". County Folk-Lore, vol. The captor forced the kelpie to carry heavy stones to build his castle and when the work was complete, the laird released the kelpie who was understandably unhappy in its treatment. Local historians believe the mass panic stemmed from the legend of “Jenny wi’ the Iron Teeth”, a murderous ghost said to haunt Glasgow Green. Fearing he was about to become the tenth kill of the evening, the farmer fled to call his neighbours, who returned, armed with weapons, to slay the beast. Most of these Scottish Fairy Tales are children's stories from the West Highlands. The selkie woman was often seen gazing lovingly at the ocean. The stories of Finn (Old, Middle, Modern Irish: Find, Finn, Fionn) mac Cumhaill and his band of soldiers the Fianna, appear to be set around the 3rd century in Gaelic Ireland and Scotland. In various stories, Breacan moored his boat near the whirlpool to impress the father of a local princess, who wanted him to anchor by the whirlpool for three days and three nights. The unmistakable blast of the bagpipes is a common sound in Scotland, particularly in our cities and at festivals and celebrations. The Gulf of Corryvreckan (from the Gaelic ‘Coire Bhreacain’ meaning "cauldron of the speckled seas" or "cauldron of the plaid"), also called the Strait of Corryvreckan, is a narrow strait between the islands of Jura and Scarba, off the west coast of mainland Scotland. A huge sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides, the cave is formed entirely from hexagonally jointed basalt columns, a similar structure to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. A good defense would be to put salt in the hearth before bedtime. Jan 29, 2014 - Explore Pamela Guile's board "Scottish Folklore" on Pinterest. Here, writing for History Extra, Larrington shares nine of the most unusual folktales that she has come across… The British Isles are a treasure chest of folklore and traditional tales. Menu. 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