Legends of Caratacos
In which I look at the legacy of the ancient British resistance leader in later folklore, romance, and drama. Content note: child...
Who were the parents of King Galdus?
We’ve examined the legend of King Galdus before, more than once , but far from exhaustively. Today, however, I want to look at his...
Some Scottish Red Weddings
The theme of sacrosanct hospitality being murderously abused looms large in Scottish history and legend. Content note: murder; spousal...
A series of improbable kings
We've looked at the legend of King Galdus, and how it relates to the fragmentary older legends of Cairbre Riata and other supposed...
The many legendary founders of Scotland
One remarkable thing about Scottish legend is just how many beginnings the country's pseudo-history seems to have. In my article on the...
King Galdus
The fourth book of Hector Boece's History of the Scottish People tells the epic story of the hero-king Galdus. (A still more stirring...
Beregonium, Scotland's lost capital
There is a legend of a fallen city, once the glorious capital of the ancient Scots, before it was destroyed in fire. But where did the...
The Creveenach and other giant birds
In which I examine a curious creature from Highland folklore. Content note: child endangerment. Several of the Gaelic folk tales...
The Legend of Canonbie Dick
The Canonbie Dick story is one of Scotland's best known folk tales. In its usual form, it goes like this: a horse-trader, from Canonbie...
The Giant and the Dwarf
I investigate a story from Angus that may not be all it seems. Content note: kidnapping; slavery; objectification of disabled people....
