The Lore of Scotland: A Guide to Scottish Legends

Scotland'srichpastandvariedlandscapehaveinspiredanextraordinaryarrayoflegendsandbeliefs,andinTheLoreofScotlandJenniferWestwoodandSophiaKingshillbringtogethermanyofthefinestandmostintriguing:storiesofheroesandbloodyfeuds,talesofgiants,fairies,andwitches,andaccountsoflocalcustomsandtraditions.Theirrangeextendsrightacrossthecountry,fromtheBorderswiththeirhauntingballads,viaGlasgow,siteofStMungo'smiracles,tothefatefulbattlefieldofCulloden,andfinallytotheShetlands,homeoftheseal-people.Morethansimplyretellingthesestories,TheLoreofScotlandexplorestheirorigins,showinghowandwhentheyaroseandinvestigatingwhatbasis-ifany-theyhaveinhistoricalfact.Intheprocess,ituncoverstheeventsthatinspiredShakespeare'sMacbeth,probestheclaimthatMaryKing'sCloseisthemosthauntedstreetinEdinburgh,andexaminesthesurprisingtruthbehindthefameoftheMacCrimmons,Skye'sunsurpassedbagpipers.Moreover,itrevealshowgenerationsofPicts,Vikings,CelticsaintsandPresbyterianreformersshapedthemyriadtalesthatstillcirculate,and,fromacrossthecountry,itgatherstogetherlegendsofsuchrenownedfiguresasSirWilliamWallace,StColumba,andthegreatwarriorFingal.TheresultisathrillingjourneythroughScotland'slegendarypastandanendlesslyfascinatingaccountofthetraditionsandbeliefsthatplaysuchanimportantroleinitsheritage.