Highland Folk Tales

Folk Tales

by Bob Pegg

Published as part of the successful Folk Tales series. Combines well-known legends with previously unpublished stories. Compiled by a popular and well-known local storyteller. The Highlands of Scotland are rich in traditional stories. Even today, in the modern world of internet and supermarkets, old legends dating as far back as the times of the Gaels, Picts and Vikings are still told at night around the fireside. They are tales of the sidh—the fairy people—and their homes in the green hills; of great and gory battles, and of encounters with the last wolves in Britain; of solitary ghosts, and of supernatural creatures like the sinister waterhorse, the mermaid, and the Fuath Scotland’s own Bigfoot. In a vivid journey through the Highland landscape, from the towns and villages to the remotest places, by mountains, cliffs, peatland and glen, storyteller and folklorist Bob Pegg takes the reader along old and new roads to places where legend and landscape are inseparably linked.

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

192 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2011

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lover of Great Britain culture (specially their legends), I found this book to be a nice compilation of tales and a brief (but beautiful) overview to the tradition of storytelling.

As a non-English speaker, it is easy to read, and I specially loved the section "a guide to Gaelic pronunciation".

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, got confused with place names, character names and roads. I liked hearing about the Norse connection and vikings.

I felt I often had to go back and retrieve what was happening as the twists were unexpected.
This book was gentler and nicer that a lot of fateful fairy and folk tales.
I really looked forward to reading this and will reread it hopefully with better concentration.

[Sir Robbiethehoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot say that I was grabbed by the first half of the book. The preambles to the stories were not the most interesting nor were the opening stories.

However, once I reached the Black Isle section and the stories based around Cromarty I found myself more engaged and the stories more entertaining.

The interest levels continued with the later stories, including the ones not necessarily set in the highlands but rather were told in the highlands. The inclusion of the Orkney stories was good too.

A mixed selection of folktales covering the highlands of Scotland of mixed quality. I definitely preferred the second half of the book.

[Mike Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the Highland Bookshop in Ft. William a couple of years ago, started it right away but other things got in the way. Picked it up again last week and couldn't put it down. What a great collection!

The stories Bob Pegg collected (39 in all) are priceless, and his delivery/explication most enjoyable.

There is a concentration on areas I do not know well (northeast Highlands) and the stories and introductions make me want to explore even more.

[Ulrike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous collection of tales and stories. Very enjoyable