Myths of Scotland

One of the main layers of the book is related to the Scots' views on the supernatural world. Sid — the otherworld, which in Celtic tradition was associated with magical beings and places hidden from humans. At rivers and lakes, one can encounter kelpies — water spirits that take the form of beautiful horses and lure people into the water. In the ruins of old castles, according to legends, dwell red caps — sinister creatures whose encounter promises danger. Special attention is given to the ben-nighe — a mysterious washerwoman by the stream, whose appearance was considered a bad omen. The book explains how this character from Scottish beliefs differs from the Irish banshee — a spirit associated with the omen of death. Alongside folk mythology, Christian legends appear. Among them is the story of Saint Columba, in whose life the monster from Loch Ness is mentioned, and Saint Mungo, the patron of Glasgow, whose name is well known to fans of Harry Potter stories. Another theme is related to James VI of Scotland — a king who showed particular interest in demonology and notions of witchcraft.