Scottish Folk Tales of Coast and Sea

by Tom Muir

Sea monsters, mermaids, shipwrecks and old wives' tales abound in this collection of traditional folk tales retold by master storyteller Tom Muir. Gathered from the towns, villages and wild places that lie on the edge of the land, these tales reflect the ancient wisdom of living by the sea. All sorts of stories have grown from our fascination with the unknown depths of the sea and the mysteries it can bring. Developed over time and passed down through telling, these old stories are very much still alive to enjoy today.

Genres: Mythology, Scotland, Folklore, Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[Selena F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3'75🌟

Really enjoyed most of the folk tales presented here, but I have to admit that they were not exactly what I was expecting in terms of... "water tales". Some of the tales just take place near the coast, but don't have much to do with the sea.

[John Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entertaining collection of folk tales is just an absolute delight from start to finish.

[Csenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one goes on my shelf for instant classics. It was an amazing read. It is a collection of folktales and legends, well selected and well researched, but written with a storyteller's flair for telling a good story. Tom Muir is amazing to hear in person, and he is a very good writer as well. I loved all the details about the sea, and traditional life by the sea, woven into the stories. There were many tales and legends in the book that I have not encountered before, and many of them became new favorites. They are filled with magic and adventure, but also empathy and kindness. I especially loved seeing several different Selkie legends, many of which went beyond the classic "stolen seal skin" tale type. It is a lovely collection, I highly recommend it.

[Davidg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best test of a book of folktales is how many of them I want to learn and tell myself. Here the count is very high. There are quite a few that fit this description. I think that I will be telling quite a few in the months to come.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's never a good sign feeling relieved that you're done reading a book... To be fair, I really like the book cover and also enjoyed a few tales. As for the others, they seemed more or less the same to me, unmemorable.

[Zosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I prefered the Iceland folk tales. Not that these weren't good but some of them almost felt as though they were too short or that there was more to the story.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely collection of Scottish folk tales. Well retold.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of tales from all around Scotland, retold with vibrant color and humor.