Scottish Myths and Legends
The Loch Ness Monster
Kelpie
Deirdre of the Sorrows
This is a story that takes part in Ireland and in Scotland:
Long ago there was the king in Ulster named Conor Mac Neasa. One day a beautiful little baby was born in the village. She was called Deirdre. When the druid saw her he was horrified. He said that thousands would die because of her. He told Conor to have her killed but Conor refused. Instead Conor built a fort in the woods far from the village and he put Deirdre there. He asked an old woman to take care of her until she was old enough to get married.
One day when Deirdre had grown up into a lovely young woman she was looking out the window. She saw a raven drinking some spilt blood on the snow.
"When I fall in love it will be with a man whose skin is as white as snow, cheeks as red as blood and hair as black as a raven?"
"I know a man like that," said the old woman. "His name is Naoise."
"Deirdre sent for Naoise and when they met they fell in love. The got married but they knew that Conor would be furious because he had intended to marry Deirdre himself. They fled to Scotland.
This is a story that takes part in Ireland and in Scotland:
Long ago there was the king in Ulster named Conor Mac Neasa. One day a beautiful little baby was born in the village. She was called Deirdre. When the druid saw her he was horrified. He said that thousands would die because of her. He told Conor to have her killed but Conor refused. Instead Conor built a fort in the woods far from the village and he put Deirdre there. He asked an old woman to take care of her until she was old enough to get married.
One day when Deirdre had grown up into a lovely young woman she was looking out the window. She saw a raven drinking some spilt blood on the snow.
"When I fall in love it will be with a man whose skin is as white as snow, cheeks as red as blood and hair as black as a raven?"
"I know a man like that," said the old woman. "His name is Naoise."
"Deirdre sent for Naoise and when they met they fell in love. The got married but they knew that Conor would be furious because he had intended to marry Deirdre himself. They fled to Scotland.
Naoise's friends begged Conor to let them return to Ireland. Eventually Conor agreed. However, he was still furious that Deirdre and Naoise had gotten married. When he saw how happy they were he got very angry and told his soldiers to kill Naoise and bring Deirdre to him. The soldiers killed the brothers. They took Deirdre but on the journey back to the castle she jumped out of the chariot and died.
The Giant's Causeway
Long, long ago there was a giant named Fionn. One day he was walking along the beach when he saw an enormous giant coming across the sea from Scotland. He ran home and told his wife to tell the giant that he was Fionn’s baby. They quickly dug out a hole in the floor and Fionn wrapped himself up in blankets and lay into the hole beside the fire as if he was a real baby.
"I am Angus," announced the giant when the walked through the door.
He saw the baby lying beside the fire. He asked Fionn’s wife why the baby wasn’t in a cradle. She said that the cradle would have been too big to bring into the house.
Fionn’s wife started to make Angus something to eat. While she was preparing the food she told Angus not to worry, that it wouldn't be long before Fionn returned home. Angus started getting nervous because he thought that if the baby was that big the father must be huge. He made his excuses to Fionn’s wife and left the house. He ran towards the beach. Fionn hoped out of his make-shift bed and followed him. He lifted up a huge rock and threw it after him. Fionn lifted up more and more rocks and gradually made a path to follow the Angus. The path Fionn was making was getting nearer and nearer to Scotland.
"I am Angus," announced the giant when the walked through the door.
He saw the baby lying beside the fire. He asked Fionn’s wife why the baby wasn’t in a cradle. She said that the cradle would have been too big to bring into the house.
Fionn’s wife started to make Angus something to eat. While she was preparing the food she told Angus not to worry, that it wouldn't be long before Fionn returned home. Angus started getting nervous because he thought that if the baby was that big the father must be huge. He made his excuses to Fionn’s wife and left the house. He ran towards the beach. Fionn hoped out of his make-shift bed and followed him. He lifted up a huge rock and threw it after him. Fionn lifted up more and more rocks and gradually made a path to follow the Angus. The path Fionn was making was getting nearer and nearer to Scotland.
He went home and swore he would never set foot in Ireland again. To this day there are rocks to be found on the coast of both countries. This is what they look like: