27. The Well at the World's End

27. The Well at the World's End

Author: The Scottish Folklore Podcast June 1, 2025 Duration: 20:15


Fancy kissing a frog? How about marrying one? The Frog Prince is a common theme found in folk tales throughout Europe, and ‘The Well at the World’s End’ is Scotland’s take on this age-old classic.


Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Instagram


Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon


View the Interactive Map of Folklore


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step into the misty glens and ancient castles of Scotland with The Scottish Folklore Podcast. Your guide, Jenny Johnstone, has a knack for finding the heartbeat in old stories, sharing traditional tales gathered from every corner of the country. This isn't just a recitation of myths; it's an invitation to sit by a metaphorical fireside and listen as these narratives are woven anew. You'll hear of cunning fairies from the Orkney shores, restless spirits in Edinburgh's closes, and selkies shedding their skins on Hebridean beaches. Each story is a piece of local lore, a fragment of history and culture preserved through telling. The podcast delves into the societal values and fears embedded in these fictions, exploring why certain tales endure. Listening feels like uncovering a hidden layer of the landscape, where every loch and mountain has a story waiting to be told. It’s for anyone curious about the roots of storytelling, the peculiar creatures that haunt a nation's imagination, or simply for those who love a good yarn told with warmth and authenticity. Through Jenny’s engaging retellings, age-old adventures find a fresh voice, ensuring the strange and wonderful creatures of Scottish folklore are never forgotten.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Scottish Folklore Podcast
Podcast Episodes
41. Doppelgangers & The Second Sight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:39
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 mea…
40. Wild Weddings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
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…
39. Caves of Gold: Monsters, Mermaids & Hidden Treasure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
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 k…
38. The Goodwife of Auchtermuchty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:16
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…
37. Beautiful Bready Bannocks! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:30
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…
36. Harvest Time Tales: Greed, Ghosts and Guns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
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.Althoug…
35. Whuppity Stoorie: Scotland’s Cruelest Fairy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:04
Whuppity Stoorie is a classic Scottish folktale from down in the Debatable Lands, the area around what is now Scotland’s border with England. The tale tells of the Goodwife of Kittlerumpit and her run in with a fairy lik…
34. Loch Assynt: Mermaids, Black Magic, and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:10
Assynt is one of Scotland’s most spectacular spots, but it’s not just the landscape that will take your breath away. The land here is steeped in lore, and the shores of Loch Assynt are not only home to the crumbling ruin…
33. The Shellycoat: Mischievous or Malicious? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
As supernatural Scottish creatures go, The Shellycoat is one of the lesser known of the bunch, but don’t let this bothersome Bogle fool you, for although often cited as harmless, as we’ll find out in this episode, The Sh…
32. Deirdire of the Sorrows - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:18
Jenny is back with Part 2 of Deirdire of the Sorrows, an ancient Gaelic tale that has been told in both Ireland and Scotland for countless years. This half sees Deirdire, Naoise, and his two brothers living as fugitives…