Includes new and approachable translations of folktales from the Scottish Highlands and Nova Scotia, providing extensive commentary on this rich storytelling tradition. Each story is annotated with information about its origins and any insights into its meaning.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Ro-ràdh / Foreword by Ruairidh MacIlleathain / Roddy Maclean
Introduction: The Power of Stories
Scottish Highlands: People and Place 9 delete• deleteHow Highlanders Experienced Folktales 13 delete• deleteGaelic Folktale Scholarship in Scotland 18 delete• deleteHow Folktales Work 23 delete• deleteAbout the Texts in This Volume 25
Chapter One. Tales of Wonder
The Frog Prince 31 delete• deleteSilver-Tree and Gold-Tree 32 delete• deleteThe Grazing of Cruachan 35 delete• deleteThe Language of Birds 40 delete• deleteGreat Seanchan and the Smith of the Tales 46 delete• deleteThe Tale of Mànus 49
Chapter Two. Tales About Life and the World
How Scotland Was Formed 57 delete• deleteThe Eagle of Loch Tréig 58 delete• deleteEscaping Doomsday 60 delete• deleteThe Origin of the Milky Way 63 delete• deleteThe Origin of the Will o’ Wisp 64 delete• deleteHow the Wren Became the King of Birds 65 delete• deleteWhy the Dog-Fish Is Called “the King’s Fish” 66 delete• deleteThe Hawk Teaches the Fox a Lesson 67 delete• deleteOh, Adam! 67 delete• deleteThe Clan of the Sixty Blockheads 69
Chapter Three. Tales of Culture Heroes and Ancients
The Boyhood Deeds of Cù Chulainn 72 delete• deleteHow Cù Chulainn Killed His Only Son 74 delete• deleteThe Origin Story of Fionn and the Fianna 75 delete• deleteHow Fionn Got His Psychic Powers 79 delete• deleteGaraidh and the Women 80 delete• deleteFionn in the House of Yellow Face 82 delete• deleteDiarmaid and Gràinne 86 delete• deleteThe Hunt for the Venomous Boar in Ross 88
Chapter Four. Historical Legends and Clan Sagas
Columba and Mo Luag in Lismore 92 delete• deleteColumba and His Brother Dòbhran at Iona 93 delete• deleteSaints of Kintail 95 delete• deleteThe Norse Princess’s Mock Lament 96 delete• deleteThe Sea-People of Arran 98 delete• deleteThe Feral MacDonalds of Braemar 100 delete• deleteThe Big Blacksmith of Glen Urquhart 101 delete• deleteThe Camerons’ Doomed Raid on the Lennox 103 delete• deleteThe Outlaw Black-Haired Finlay MacRae 106 delete• deleteDonald of the Songs and the Deer 108 delete• deleteThe Battle of Tràigh Ghruinneart 110 delete• deleteThe Glen Quaich Bridge 117 delete• deleteThe Battle of Carinish 118 delete• deleteThe MacGregors and the Campbell Bloodhounds 121 delete• deleteThe Battle of Sròn a’ Chlachain 122 delete• deleteThe Loch Earn Robber 123 delete• deleteThe Massacre of Glencoe 124
Chapter Five. Tales of the Otherworldly
The Origin of the Fairies 130 delete• deleteDispirited Fairies in Ross-shire 131 delete• deleteThe Stuff of Life 132 delete• deleteThe Fairies and the Farmer’s Gift 132 delete• deleteGreat MacMhuirich and the Fairies 133 delete• deleteThe Glaistig of Glen Duror 134 delete• deleteThe Gruagach Stones 135 delete• deleteThe Red Hand of Kincardine 136 delete• deleteThe Specter of the Tay and the Fairy-Fort of Kincraigie 137 delete• deleteThe Tailor of Rannoch and the Fairy 137 delete• deleteThe Fairies and the Stolen Wife 139 delete• deleteThe Chanter from the Fairies of Loch Roag 140 delete• deleteMacCrimmon’s Fairy Sweetheart 140 delete• deleteThe Uruisg’s Reward 141 delete• deleteThe Cloven-Hoofed Sweetheart 143 delete• deleteThe Last Each-Uisge in Lewis 144 delete• deleteMacPhee’s Black Hound 145 delete• deleteThe Old Wife of Laggan 148 delete• deleteThe Witch of Braemar 150 delete• deleteMacLeod of Dunvegan and the Witches 151 delete• deleteHugh of the Wee Head 152 delete• deleteThe Washing Woman and the Chieftain of Clanranald 154 delete• deleteThe Midwife and the Queen of the Fairies 155 delete• deleteThe MacGlashens of Lismore 156 delete• deleteThe Farr Seer 157 delete• deleteThe Dream of the Dead in Strath Tummel 157
Epilogue: Reclaiming Our Voices
Appendix: Original Gaelic Sources
A’ Bhànrigh a Dh’Iarr Deoch á Tobar Àraid 163 delete• deleteCraobh-Airgid agus Craobh-Òir 164 delete• deleteBuachailleachd Chruachain 166 delete• deleteCànan nan Eun 172 delete• deleteSeanchan Mór an Éirinn is Gobha nan Sgeul an Albainn 177 delete• deleteEachdraidh Mhànuis 179 delete• deleteA’ Chailleach Bheur 185 delete• deleteIolaire Loch Tréig 185 delete• deleteTeicheadh ro’n Bhràth 187 delete• deleteSgrìob Chloinn Uisnigh 189 delete• deleteAn Teine Mór 190 delete• deleteRìgh nan Eun 191 delete• deleteAn t-Adhbhar mun Abairear Iasg Rìgh ris an Dallaig 192 delete• deleteO, Àdhaimh! 192 delete• deleteSliochd nan Trì Fichead Burraidh 194 delete• deleteTòrachd na Tàine 195 delete• deleteMar a Thòisich an Fhéinn 196 delete• deleteFionn agus am Bradan 199 delete• deleteGaraidh agus na Mnathan 200 delete• deleteFionn an Taigh a’ Bhlàir Bhuidhe 202 delete• deleteDiarmaid agus Gràinne 205 delete• deleteDiarmaid agus Bran 208 delete• deleteCalum Cille agus Dòbhran a Bhràthair 208 delete• deleteNaoimh Chinn-Tàile 210 delete• deleteAn Caoineadh-Magaidh 211 delete• deleteInnis Eabhrach 213 delete• deleteAn Gobhainn Mór 214 delete• deleteCalum Garbh mac Eòghainn 216 delete• deleteFionnlagh Dubh MacRath 218 delete• deleteDòmhnall mac Fhionnlaigh nan Dàn 220 delete• deleteBlàr Tràigh Ghruinneart 222 delete• deleteDrochaid Lag nan Cladhairean 228 delete• deleteBlàr Chàirinnis 229 delete• deleteClann Ghriogair agus Coin Dubha nan Caimbeulach 232 delete• deleteLatha Blàr Shròn a’ Chlachain 232 delete• deleteCreachadair Loch Éire 233 delete• deleteMurt Ghlinn Comhann 235 delete• deleteNa Sìdhichean ann an Siorramachd Rois 237 delete• deleteNa Sìdhichean ann an Raithneach 237 delete• deleteAn Tuathanach agus na Sìbhrich 238 delete• deleteGlaistig Ghlinn Dùror 239 delete• deleteTàillear Ruadh Raithneach 240 delete• deleteA’ Bhean a Ghoid na Sìdhichean 241 delete• deleteSiùnnsair MhicCruimein 242 delete• deleteIain Dubh Mór agus an Uruisg 242 delete• deleteAn Leannan Crodhanach 244 delete• deleteCù Dubh Mhic a’ Phì 244 delete• deleteCailleach an Lagain 247 delete• deleteMacLeòid Dhùn Bheagain is na Bana-Bhuidsichean 249 delete• deleteEóghann a’ Chinn Bhig 249 delete• deleteMac ’ic Ailein agus Luideag an Uillt 251 delete• deleteA’ Bhean-Ghlùine agus Bànrigh nan Sìbhreach 252 delete• deleteClann MhicGlaisein ann an Lios Mór 253 delete• deleteAm Fiosaiche ann am Fàrr 254 delete• deleteBruadar nam Marbh ann an Srath Theimheil 254
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index