The Scottish Folklore Podcast

The Sea Mither is the Orcadian sea deity who brings the calm waters, warm weather, and bounty of spring and summer. But this is no easy feat, for first she must battle Teran, the fearsome winter god of the sea, for control of the waves.

Teran is not her only foe, however, as the dreaded Nuckelavee, surely Scotland’s most nightmarish creature, must also be banished.

Join Jenny to hear all about the Orcadian (and Shetlandic) lore of the Sea Mither, Teran, and a poor fellow named Tammie who was unlucky enough to meet the Nuckelavee on a dark, winter night.

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Sometimes called Spunkies, other times Will o’ the Wisps, whatever the name, these fiery spirits are always up to no good. And by no good I mean straight up bog-induced murder! Will o’ the Wisps are fiery orbs that lure lost and weary travellers away from the path and out into the vast swampy moors, and in this episode Jenny tells a tale where the poor unsuspecting victim is none other than the moon herself!

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Visit the website and view this episode’s interactive map

Explore all the folklore covered in the podcast so far on the Folklore Map

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This episode sees Jenny exploring the mysterious and often malicious dark magic of Corp Creadha, or Clay Bodies. These are Scotland’s version of voodoo dolls, and although less well known than their famous counterparts, as the three tales in this episode tell, they are by no means any less powerful!

These stories are of a heartbroken man out on a Hebridean Island, a vengeful witch from Inverness and her vendetta against the Provost, and of Mac Ian Ghiorr, a notorious cattle thief from Ardnamurchan, who causes all sorts of trouble for the Maclean’s of Duart on Mull.

Each tale has a Clay Body at its heart, here’s just hoping there’s not a needle in there too!

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Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon

Visit the website and view the Interactive Map

Explore all the folklore covered in the podcast so far on the Folklore Map

View the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Interactive Map

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The folktales are cascading in this episode as Jenny gets drenched under the waterfall lore of Scotland!

First she explores the strange and sad folklore of the wailing Caoineag, a water spirit that lives by waterfalls, and its ties to the Glen Coe Massacre of 1692. Next she looks into the healing powers of waterfalls and Saint Fillan's easing of suffering using magical stones near the village of Killin. Then it’s onto some very odd divination rituals in Trotternish, Skye, that have ancient roots in Irish culture, before ending with the tale of ‘The Silver Whistle’ which takes place in the mighty mountain of Beinn na Caillich on Skye, and sees a drover run in with the Fianna.

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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!

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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.