3. Weird Witchcraft

3. Weird Witchcraft

Author: The Scottish Folklore Podcast December 1, 2024 Duration: 23:53

The bubbling cauldron of Scottish folklore is brimming with tales of witches and witchcraft, and while all these stories are filled with strange supernatural happenings, some are more strange than others. 


Listen in and join Jenny as she wades into some of the weirder tales of witchcraft that she’s found, including folklore of Macleans of Duart, bearded babies, and some real squelchy revenge. 


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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: 56

The Scottish Folklore Podcast
Podcast Episodes
15. Rashiecoat: Scotland's Cinderella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:32
In this episode Jenny tells the classic Scottish folk tale of Rashiecoat. This is Scotland’s version of Cinderella, and while there are similarities, it is no Disney fairytale! Follow The Scottish Folklore Podcast on Ins…
14. Through the Mist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
In Scottish folklore mist swirls in the liminal space between this world and the parallel Otherworld, where fairies, spirits, and monsters exist just beyond our boundaries of perception. But when the mist descends, for b…
13. Thieves: Tales of Cunning and Curses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:52
Thieves play many roles in Scottish folklore, and while for the most part they are the worst of the worst, this isn’t always the case!In this episode Jenny tells the tales of two thieves, firstly, ‘The Troublesome Son’,…
12. Fin Folk: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:39
The Fin Folk are a strange race of sea-people that live off the coasts of Orkney and Shetland. They are tall, dark, mysterious… and covered in big flappy fins. In this episode Jenny explores how the Fin Folk live, the va…
11. To a Mouse: Superstitions and Folklore Surrounding Mice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:07
Inspired by Robert Burns’ Poem ‘To a Mouse’ Jenny dives into the superstitions and folklore surrounding mice in Scotland. Read ‘To a Mouse’ hereRead ‘Drumming Tunes’, an article on Mice and Rat Satires hereFollow The Sco…
10. Tip to Toe: Stories from Scotland’s Farthest Reaches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:27
Travel the length of Scotland with these folk tales from the very tippy-toppy of the country to the very tippy-toey.In the far north, Jenny tells the tale of two giants on Unst and how the tiny island of Out Stack, the m…
9. Folk Tales from the Forest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:02
The forests of Scotland are filled with folklore and in this episode Jenny tells two tales from amongst the trees. The first is of the lonesome Ghillie Dhu, a gentle forest fairy and master of disguise. The second story…
8. Kelpies & Water Horses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
Kelpies are some of the most dangerous creatures in all of Scottish folklore, and in this episode Jenny tells two tales that show just how malevolent they can be. The first, Tarbh na Leòid, is about a handsome and cunnin…
7. Wee Ghosties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:57
Scotland is steeped in ghost stories, and in this episode Jenny tells two of these tales, The Searching Woman of Lewis and The Weeping Lass at the Dancing Place. Both have very sad women, but the ghosts could not be more…
6. Scottish Yuletide & Hogmanay Traditions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:02
Join Jenny as she explores some of the many Yuletide and Hogmanay traditions, customs, rituals, and rites that have been practised in Scotland over the millennia. From ancient burial cairns being aligned with the setting…