We know Scottish folklore like the Loch Ness Monster and Kelpies, but do you know of the other, more sinister folklore of the beings that roam Scotland? To give you some insights and recommendations, here are five folklores that you may not have heard of and books to go with each one.
Bean Nighe
The Bean Nighe, translating to “washerwoman” in Scottish Gaelic, is known to be seen near streams washing the bloody clothes of people who are about to die. This being is thought to be the spirits of women that die during childbirth cursed to be a washerwoman until the day their life could have ended. This spirit is known to cast wishes if approached correctly, although approaches vary.
Beguiled by Cyla Panin tells the story of a woman looking to find her independence but ends up finding herself trapped by the Bean Nighe and her magic. When Ella’s father dies and her dreams of opening her own shop put her into debt, she finds herself in trouble when her loom breaks. Even with the warnings of the Bean Nighe and her magic, Ella seeks her out for help in this tale of blessings and curses.
Each Uisge
The Each Uisge, also known as a water horse, is part of Irish and Scottish Gaelic folklore known to inhabit salt and still waters. They are likely to emerge in November, tricking people into thinking it should be ridden, but once it finds its body of water it is known to take people and devour them. With a distaste for human kidneys, they are the only part left of its previous rider.
Scottish Mythical Creature: Journey Through Time with the Each-uisge, Sluagh, and the Creatures of Scottish Mythology by Chronicle Press tells several stories of mythical creatures throughout time. This book explores ancient history and magical beings, including Scottish creatures like the Each Uisge, Kelpie, Loch Ness Monster, and more, to build your folklore knowledge.
Nuckelavee
The Nuckelavee is known to have a breath so horrid it weakens crops and sickens livestock. Its appearance is part man and part horse, with the entire being having no skin to the point that viewers can see the blood running through its visible veins. This being is so frightening that some go as far as to evade saying its name. A known way to avoid it is to run into freshwater, and it tends to avoid that particular body of water.
The Nuckelavee by Mike McClelland follows a couple and their friends as they journey to Key West to gain some Instagram popularity on their vacation but find themselves in a hunt they were unprepared for. When Kris’s uncle lets them stay at his mansion, they plan a lot of festivities that go out the window when his uncle announces bigger plans for the group. These plans lead them to the waves outside the beach, where they find themselves facing something strange and big that has been lurking in the night.
Baobhan Sith
The Baobhan Sith is a shapeshifter drawn to the scent of blood who is known to prey on men looking for a beautiful woman. They wear long green dresses to hide their deer hooves and dance with their prey until they grow exhausted. These women strike them with their claws and drain them of blood before the night is over, as their two weaknesses are daylight and iron.
Born of Desire and Blood by Corey Harper is the first in the Baobhan Sith trilogy. This story follows Duncan, a man cursed by a Sith who has searched for four hundred years to find her, and Katherine, the Baobhan Sith, who cursed him. When this chase comes to an end, the two of them may find themselves in more of an eternal predicament than they could have ever imagined.
Cù Sìth
The Cù Sìth, meaning fairy dog, is known to haunt the Scottish highlands as an omen of death. The creature is described to be the size of a bull with green fur that has an intimidating presence to those who meet it. People are told to find safety when the Cù Sìth howls as the third howl is known to bring the end. It is believed it works with a cult of people thought to be gods or spirits that also live amongst the human world.
A Hunter’s Moon by Danny Weston tells the tale of a beast that lurks in the Forest of Tay and devours farmers’ sheep and sometimes the farmers themselves. Following the adventure of Callum and Frazer, two men on a hunt to kill the beast, they uncover more than they may want to about the “Walkers in the Woods” that summoned the beast and the beast itself. This story is one of caution and bravery in the face of the unknown.
The tellings and retellings of folklore will always keep the stories alive to warn children and adults of the beings that lurk in the dark. The Scots are one of many with rich history and meaning in their folktales, and hopefully, these few known folktales will keep you interested in finding more Scottish folktales to read.
Looking for more reads on Scottish folklore? Click here.
Want to find books on myths and legends? Check out our Mythos & Legends Unveiled: A Cultural Tapestry of Tales bookshelf on Bookshop.org.
