Scottish Myths & Legends

by Daniel Allison

The blue-skinned old woman who made the mountains. Finfolk, seal-people and the Makers of Dreams. Within these pages are the little-known stories of Scotland, collected and retold by an oral storyteller who performs them throughout the world. From folk-tales and local legends to ancient epics, these stories will astonish and delight readers everywhere.


Daniel Allison is an acclaimed oral storyteller who performs everywhere from schools and prisons to global festivals. He hosts the House of Legends Podcast and is the author of The Bone Flute, Silverborn, Scottish Myths & Legends and Finn & The Fianna.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Folklore, Scotland, Ebooks, Short Stories, Audiobook

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2020

About the author

Daniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author, oral storyteller and podcaster from Scotland. He is the author of Irish Mythology: The Children of Danu, Scottish Myths & Legends, Finn & The Fianna and The Orkney Cycle: The Shattering Sea, as well as the forthcoming Scottish Myths & Legends Vol. II.

Daniel’s hosts the House of Legends podcast and trains storytellers online through his Myth Singers Celtic Storytelling Apprenticeship. He leads annual mythic immersion retreats in the Scottish Highlands which guide participants towards a living relationship with Celtic and Nordic myth.

Reviews

[Abbi Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, so good; definitely want a physical copy at some point! :)

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection

I love Myths and legends, but have never ventured into Scottish/Celtic ones before. This was a good introduction for me, and there was a nice variety of tales in this book.

[Priscilla Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading tales from back in the days with the perspective of an adult is quite different from when you hear these stories as a child. Mind you, I didn't encounter any Scottish myths and legends when I was young, so they were particularly enjoyable to me.

[Csenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore books written by storytellers. You can absolutely tell when a folktale has been selected and re-told by someone who can bring them alive in spoken word. This book is not only an eloquent and enjoyable read, but the enthusiasm of the author, and his love for each story, shines through the text.
It is a great book to introduce anyone to the folklore of Scotland. As a storyteller I was familiar with some of the stories, while others were completely new to me, and regardless of my previous knowledge of them, all drew me into a beautiful, colorful world of story. They represent various genres and tale types of Scottish folklore, including wonder tales, fairy and selkie beliefs, Fianna legends, etc. As the introduction notes, Scottish legend and lore is a lot less generally known than Greek mythology - but it is not any less rich or enchanting. The author treats these old stories with the respect they deserve, without trying to "sanitize" them or shying away from the more difficult details.
I especially appreciated that every story came with notes at the end, citing the source(s), storytellers who told them, and interesting cultural information about their origins and meanings. The notes also referred to storytelling events and resources, connecting the old tales to new audiences.
Treat yourself to this read, whether you are a storyteller, story-lover, or a fan of myth and legend. It's a great read!

[Otherwyrld · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely retelling of various Scottish/Celtic stories, as variants of many of these tales can be found in other Celtic lands It is added with just a light sprinkling of the author's own interpretation, just as any good oral retelling should be. The author makes sure that the original storyteller of each story is included so that people can go on to learn more of these legends.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no shortage of books of Scottish tales, but this one is a standout. Why? Daniel Allison doesn’t just collect and compile the stories. He curates them. He has chosen those that are particularly compelling – and (this is the important part) he TELLS them. As I read the stories, I could almost hear the storyteller’s voice. These tales have a life to them. As a storyteller myself, I was familiar with several of the tales, but others were new to me. Either way, it was a satisfying experience. I especially appreciated that the author shared his process and sources. Where and when did he get the story? Who told it? And how? What choices were made in the tale? How was it changed or adapted? If you’re a storyteller or a story-lover or a lover of all things Scottish, you’ll enjoy this book (and probably look for more from the author).

[Kimberly Us · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book written by an oral storyteller. So often myths are not told with enough detail and character development, but this book gets both of those right. The stories are facinating and include both classic tales and ones that most people haven't heard of. Allison ends each tale with a sentence or two comparing it to other folktales or telling where he first heard it. Engaging book that would be great to read aloud and also silently.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Scottish Myths and Legends’ is a fantastic collection of short stories designed to give you a taste of the varied myths from Scotland and the Scottish isles. The stories range from a page or two to slightly longer stories, but they will all capture your imagination.

As a mythology/indigenous culture student, it was really fascinating to see the similarities in stories from cultures that likely never met. This was compounded by Daniel Allison’s footnotes at the end of each story which gave you an idea of the history behind each tale and pulled out some of these recurring themes. This book isn’t a standalone, it draws on works by others and stories across time and culture and Allison gives credit to the inspiration each time with a helpful bibliography at the end.

I loved Allison’s style of writing. Sometimes oral storytelling’s magic doesn’t carry over into the written world. But word by word, these stories came to life before me. They were beautifully written, unrepetitive and had the familiarity of a favourite story that you couldn’t quite recall. This was a pleasure to read and a book I genuinely looked forward to picking up after a long day at work.

I highly recommend this one to those interested in mythology, those looking for a quick (but rewarding) read and those who want a window into another world. I’d definitely read more of Allison’s work and look forward to seeing how this book may influence my PhD research.

[Hannah Figgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildly, delightfully varied cross-section of wild, delightful, enchanting tales from all over Scotland. I was amazed at the degree of variety of types, tones, and backgrounds of the 24 stories the author has drawn together between the covers of this book. It seems there's a little of everything without any of it feeling incongruous. Stories from the Highlands and the Lowlands, from Orkney and the Travellers; dark, weird, mystical tales and lighthearted, humorous (but still unsettling) ones; farmers and princes, a weary fox and an indomitable cockerel; fairies, silkies, giants, kelpies, finfolk-- and on it goes.
The voice in which the stories are written makes the wonders come alive. I also appreciated the brief note at the end of each story. These short notes provide some insight into the stories and give one a little extra to ponder without distracting from the stories themselves.
A collection to read and re-read and re-re-read!

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I grew up in Scotland knowing nothing of Scottish myths and legends. As far as I knew, we didn't have any. At school, myths and legends meant Greek myths and legends. ..." That's in the introduction of Daniel Allison's book.

Greek and Roman mythology was thought in my school as well, which was French Canadian. There was nothing else being taught then Greek and Roman. Even after I left school, I search for Celtic myths proved to be difficult.

I enjoyed reading these stories he compiled, and I appreciated the notes he wrote on where he found it and what author/book was influenced by the story. I look forward to Book 2.

[Gale Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! I am about a third of the way through....the stories/myths I have read thus far do seem to be rather dark and somewhat twisted. However, it has gotten me to think about such things as death..death in a nutshell. Boy I am glad we have death as apart of life otherwise things may not be the way live them today.

I have become cautious yet curious when I pick this book up. I do find I ponder on the stories, therefore it has become a slow reader for me.

Truly an eye opening read. See for yourself. How courageous are you?

[Fae Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 3.75 stars.
This ebook did take me a while to read, as some stories were a little more interesting than others and I really did want to time with these stories. There were some stories that were familiar to me, as I have read adaptions or different variations of those stories. More so the creatures that appeared in those stories, especially the Keplie, Silkies, Witches and Faerie intrigued me the most. There is also a story similar to that of Jason and the Argonauts I believe.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow where do I start... This was the craziest, weirdest, interesting and most amazing book!
The stories are so weird and awesome. I laughed at how many authors used the same name for Thier characters. Must of been a popular baby name then.
But honestly, I adored this book and will reread it many times.

[Stephen Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Each story was told well, and I found myself wanting to finish every tale that Daniel started. Each story is fairly short, and Daniel shared some of its history and how he came to learn the tale at the end of each chapter. I look forward to picking up other books by Daniel, and perhaps will check out his podcast too.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to give me a general background for a course in Scottish legends. This book is wonderfully written. The author, a world renown storyteller has combed the old literature and given his version of all these fascinating stories that are still very much honoured and alive in Scotland today. Thoroughly enjoyed each and every story.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. This was my first dive into Scottish Celtic myths, as I’ve read about general Celtic myths and legends before. I enjoyed the way it was written and I liked the anecdotes at the end of each tale. The stories themselves were whacky in the way you’d expect from a book of myths. Enjoyable.

[Ron Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great treasure of Scottish Myth

I picked up this book to learn more about Scottish culture. Very enriching tales and folklore. Each of the stories in their own way drew me in. Wow. Glad I picked this one up!

[Emma Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic and digestible retelling of oral tales I've heard since my childhood, great to read to kids or if you just want something interesting and easy. I particularly liked that Allison states where they first heard the story and the origins of it too.

[Caleb Sommerville · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely collection of retold Scottish folk tales. An easy read, even if I wasn't familiar with the context.
I appreciated Allison's paragraphs of context at the end of each chapter.
The self-promotion got a bit much at the end though.

[Susanna Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent. Marvelous. Daniel Allison is a true Storyteller revealing the power, wisdom, and beauty hidden in these timeless narratives. I've never before encountered such enchantment from a book on legend and folklore.

[J. Střelou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for research for my book. I loved it and would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about Celtic mythology. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed hearing them all spoken in a Scottish accent.

[Heather Kaminski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous Storytelling

Thoroughly enjoyed this book of Scottish stories! So many I had not heard before and some really great resources listed to investigate as well!

[Pauline Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storytelling

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun discovery for me! If you enjoy storytelling, check this out.

[David Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Would have liked more about the origins of the myths

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Jules C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the stories and how they take the reader on an adventure.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely mix of stories that flow well and come across as just barely removed from oral story-telling.

[Samantha-jane Osmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable reading

Very interesting book, although I did feel as if some of the tales ended rather abruptly. Overall, an enjoyable read

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written fireside stories

A delightful selection of different myths and legends with a lovely prose style that makes them feel both timeless and immediate.