Norah Montgomerie

William Montgomerie

Presents stories which are drawn from traditions in various parts of Scotland from Islay to Inveraray and Orkney to the Lowlands.

The Well at the World's End and Other Stories

The Folk Tales of Scotland

The fantastical feats of Finn MacCoul

Over 30 magical folk and fairy tales, legends and poems, from every corner of Scotland. Here is something for all tastes and moods: Celtic legends, animal fables, fairy tales of mermaids, princes and princesses, and even the Creation myth of how the Stoor Worm was slain to form the Orkneys, Shetlands and Iceland.

Folk Tales of Scotland

The Well at the World's End

The classic folk tales of Scotland were passed down from storyteller to storyteller, and from the first sentence they held the attention of the listeners and readers as though a spell had been cast over them, transporting them to a magical realm where mermaids and men, selkies and sailors, ogres and princesses all mingle and are miraculously transformed. First published in 1956, the Montgomeries, distinguished folklorists, gathered these captivating stories from all parts of Scotland. This collection became a classic of the storytelling tradition retold in a simple, dramatic style, appealing to adult and child alike. Now published by Birlinn Limited in a handsome gift edition and illustrated with Norah Montgomerie's own original drawings, it is a book to be treasured for years as the key to an enchanted, timeless world.

This collection of mystical folk tales about the Celtic hero Finn MacCoul is magical and bloodthirsty compendium full of humour, love and heroism. The legend of Finn exists in several cultures, but most notably in Scotland and Ireland, where he and the Fian, his band of loyal followers, are still important cultural figures. Many place names that grace the Celtic lands have their basis in these tales. Kyle Rhea, for example, between the Isle of Skye and the mainland is so called because of the terrible fate that befell one of the Fian while trying to save his wife - these warriors valued honour above all else. Justice was dispensed decisively to evil-doers and members of the Fian alike. Finn himself was more of a king than the kings he often met, for he alone was the arbiter of all conflicts. His was a life of constant risk combined with a simple belief in the power of good over evil. Finn travelled and fought wherever he was most needed. His dealings with the Lochlanners (Scandinavians) give us a stirring insight into a time where men risked their lives in pursuit of something more than mere wealth. This fabulous and evoking collection of heroic tales conjures a time and place where giants and magic were commonplace and danger was everywhere, where kings ruled over kingdoms, not countries.Companion to the best selling Folk Tales of Scotland. Only collection available of the Fenian cycle of stories. Stunningly illustrated by Paul Rumsey.

Norah Montgomerie

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