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It’s Burns Night! On the 25th of January Scots all over the world come together to celebrate the life and works of the Bard himself, Rabbie Burns, and so in this episode Jenny recites his epic poem Tam o’ Shanter. This wild tale takes place in Alloway, Ayrshire, where Burns was from, and follows a farmer Tam, as he drinks late into the night before heading home on his trusty steed, Meg. Unfortunately a storm is raging all around him, but the weather is the least of his concerns, for when he reaches Auld Alloway Kirk he stumbles upon a wild party of warlocks, witches, and the Devil himself! The poem is in Scots, but worry not if you don’t understand it, Jenny also recites an English translation! Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to tell the future the old fashioned way! The natural world is teeming with messages about things to come; from bats, to boats, to just about every bird there is, omens can be found throughout Scottish folklore. In this episode Jenny explores a whole host of different omens, what they mean, and in some cases, how you can avoid the grim fate they predict.  Amongst these harbingers of doom she tells two tales of terrible omens, one of Glengorm Castle on the Isle of Mull, and one from Closeburn Castle in Dumfries. You can view these locations on this interactive map. Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yuletide is for feasting, festivities, and fireside stories! In this episode Jenny tells two traditional Christmas time tales, ‘Dancing in the Fairy Knoll’ from Glen Etive and Duncan Williamson’s ‘The Hare and The Scarecrow’.  Fairies flit in and out of both stories, but in very different ways, showing just how fickle and friendly they can be! Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jenny as she explores some of the many Yuletide and Hogmanay traditions, customs, rituals, and rites that have been practised in Scotland over the millennia. From ancient burial cairns being aligned with the setting winter solstice sun, to different types of divination, cow-hides and clubs, and of course, first-footing, these traditions are part of the celebration of the darkest days of the year, and the rebirth into a new cycle of life.  Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is one of Scotland’s greatest wonder tales - it is a story of gargantuan proportions, tremendous sacrifice, and unlikely heroes. It comes from Orkney in the far north and tells of Assipattle, a lazy layabout farm lad, and the arrival of the dreaded Mester Stoorworm, a ginormous sea-serpent that can wrap its body around the entire earth and kill everything on land with its terrible breath. But that’s all info you’re getting, as it’s best to just dive right in and enjoy!  Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seals under the waves, humans upon the shore, selkies are some of Scotland’s most well loved folkloric beings, and for good reason too, for their beautiful eyes and gentle nature have captured our imaginations, and hearts, for centuries.  In this episode Jenny dives into the world of the seal-folk, their lives both above the surface and below, their many origin stories, and the story of MacCodrum of the Seals.  Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mountain builder, bone singer, bringer of winter, the Cailleach Beira is a Hag unto her own. Join Jenny in this episode as she tells many tales of the giant blue-faced deity who rules over the cruel, harsh winters of Scotland. From her shaping of the land, to her protective peace, to her bitter rage-filled jealousy of the beautiful maiden of spring, Bride, the Cailleach Beira rules over not just winter, but also our hearts.  Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The veil is thinning and soon Samhain, the scariest night of the year, will be upon us. But what is it that makes this night, the 31st of October, just so spooky? In this episode Jenny explores the ancient Celtic roots of Samhain, traditional protective rituals, divination games, and tells the tale of a lass who decided to peek behind the veil to find out who her future husband would be.  Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when death is not final? In Scottish folklore people returning from the dead is not only rare, but also, as we find out in this episode, absolutely terrifying.  The three tales Jenny tells make up a spooky sandwich of scary stories: the first, ‘A Dead Wife Among the Fairies’ comes from North Ronaldsay on Orkney, the second,  ‘The Water or Life’ comes from the shores of Loch Fyne, and the third,  ‘Wizard Rising After Death’ comes from the remote hills of Ross-shire.  But beware, these tales are not for the faint of heart, so listen at your own peril! Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Scotland, to see your doppelganger is not good news. First off, it probably means you have the second sight, or, as the Gaelic puts it, dà shealladh, ‘the two sights’, which is no easy burden to bear. Secondly, it means you’re most likely gonna die soon. In Scottish folklore, these uncanny supernatural doubles are called fetches, or taibhse, and eerie tales that swirl around their appearances can be found all over the country. In this episode, Jenny tells of fetches in Skye, Lewis, and Galloway, as well as the Aberdeenshire tale 'Thrummy Cap: A Legend of the Castle of Fiddes.' Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let’s tie the knot! In this episode Jenny explores some old customs and superstitions surrounding the big day, and tells two tales all about wild weddings in Scottish folklore: The Shepherd Fiddler and The Earl of Mar’s Daughter. Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Treasure is said to lie in the depths of many a Scottish cave, and so in this episode Jenny goes in search of gold! On her journey under the earth she visits Shetland, Skye, Thurso, and Arran uncovering tales of viking kings, brave bagpipers, betrayed mermaids, and fickle fairies. Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ye-olde gender roles don’t stand a chance in this age-old tale! The Goodwife of Auchtermuchty is a poem that was first written down in the 16th century, but is likely much older, and it tells of a husband and wife mixing things up for a day! Read the original poem in old Scots as well as translation into English here Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bannocks are a traditional type of bread that was a staple of the Scottish diet for centuries, and because of this they roll right on through Scottish culture and folklore. In this episode Jenny explores some of the lore and tradition around ritual bannocks, which were baked on important days of the year, as well as their use in divination, healing, and protecting those udders! She also tells two traditional tales that have mischievous wee bannocks: ‘The Fox and the Little Bannock’, and ‘The Good Housewife and her Night Helpers’. Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harvest time was an incredibly important time of year for the hardworking folk of Scotland, it started on the 1st of August with Lughnasadh or Lammas celebrations, and ran through to Samhain at the end of October. Although a time of back-breaking work, the folk were rewarded with the bounty of the fertile earth, and so naturally there are many folktales all about, or around, the harvest!  In this episode Jenny tells two of these harvest time tales, ‘The Lady’s Loaf Field’ and ‘The Spòg Bhuidhe’. Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram Visit the website and view the interactive map Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.