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Reek Roon a Campfire: A Collection of Ancient Tales
In Reek Roon a Camp Fire, Stanley Robertson takes the reader on a journey of wonder with a collection of authentic Traveller tales - from fairy folks to supernatural happenings and tales of everyday life - designed to initiate the non-traveller populace into the wonderful events and secret happenings that are an elementary part of the lore of the Travelling People. In this magnificent collection of epic tales, Stanley Robertson not only encapsulates the complexities of everyday life of the travelling people, drawing the narrative through the lives of a multitude of characters, but also explores various storytelling styles, moods, customs and beliefs with the richness of the ancient languages used by the Travelling communities. This is a magnificent addition to the canon of traveller tales, and one that should be treasured by lovers of myths, tales and legends the world over.
- GenresShort Stories
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
7 people want to read
About the author
Stanley Robertson
10 booksStanley Robertson was a Scottish storyteller, author, ballad singer, and piper.
He was born into a Romani family which had settled in Aberdeen and worked for thirty-nine years as a fish filliter in the city. From his aunt, folk singer Jeannie Robertson, and others including his father, he inherited a huge repertoire of northeast ballads. He was the keyworker for the Heritage Lottery-funded "Oral and Cultural Traditions of Scottish Travellers" project at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, from April 2002 until April 2005.
As a member of the Romani community, Robertson documented the group's lore and that of his own, and promoted the cultural traditions of Scottish Romani among young people in schools and community groups. His storytelling was affected by the different trades at which he worked, including his long years spent filleting in the Aberdeen fish houses, where he gathered many contemporary stories.
In June 2003, he represented the University of Aberdeen and Scotland at the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.
He published three plays and seven books, some written in his local Scots dialect. He was featured in more than 100 radio programmes and 50 television appearances and made numerous personal appearances on stage and in theatres, schools and colleges.
On 27 November 2008, at age 68, Robertson, who was an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute, was conferred an honorary degree of Master of the university (MUniv), in recognition for the work he had done.
He was a frequent broadcaster and appeared regularly at storytelling festivals. He was an Honorary Founder of the Scottish Storytelling Forum. Robertson died at his home in Aberdeen on Sunday, 2 August 2009.
He was born into a Romani family which had settled in Aberdeen and worked for thirty-nine years as a fish filliter in the city. From his aunt, folk singer Jeannie Robertson, and others including his father, he inherited a huge repertoire of northeast ballads. He was the keyworker for the Heritage Lottery-funded "Oral and Cultural Traditions of Scottish Travellers" project at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, from April 2002 until April 2005.
As a member of the Romani community, Robertson documented the group's lore and that of his own, and promoted the cultural traditions of Scottish Romani among young people in schools and community groups. His storytelling was affected by the different trades at which he worked, including his long years spent filleting in the Aberdeen fish houses, where he gathered many contemporary stories.
In June 2003, he represented the University of Aberdeen and Scotland at the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.
He published three plays and seven books, some written in his local Scots dialect. He was featured in more than 100 radio programmes and 50 television appearances and made numerous personal appearances on stage and in theatres, schools and colleges.
On 27 November 2008, at age 68, Robertson, who was an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute, was conferred an honorary degree of Master of the university (MUniv), in recognition for the work he had done.
He was a frequent broadcaster and appeared regularly at storytelling festivals. He was an Honorary Founder of the Scottish Storytelling Forum. Robertson died at his home in Aberdeen on Sunday, 2 August 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 30, 2016
A genuinely fascinating collection of Traveller tales written in the original dialect of the people that told them. This was an absolute find. The stories are all presented in a conversational way, indisposed with segues that make them feel like you're attending a traditional Scottish Ceilidh. The tales themselves were truly unique takes on traditional myths and fairy tales and as I'm currently living in Aberdeenshire, I found the Scots Doric voice so wonderful to see on the page. Definite five stars. This was the perfect book to pass a long winter night with.
September 21, 2025
The best wee buik tae read fer tales fae the North East o’ Scotland. Noo ahm at the end o’ it, ahm gaan tae read it as ower again tae find mair stories tae tak inspiration fae fer my ain creative wirks.
I highly reccomend it to onybidy fa ist affa guid wi Scots, native or fluent, or interestit in learnin mair Scots. I foond the amoont I learnit aboot traiveller Scottish traditions and traiveller Scots leids affa rewardin and interesting!
I highly reccomend it to onybidy fa ist affa guid wi Scots, native or fluent, or interestit in learnin mair Scots. I foond the amoont I learnit aboot traiveller Scottish traditions and traiveller Scots leids affa rewardin and interesting!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews