8. Kelpies & Water Horses

8. Kelpies & Water Horses

Author: The Scottish Folklore Podcast January 5, 2025 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 cunning Water Horse on Heisker, also known as the Monach Islands. The second, The Bride and the Water Kelpie, tells the tale of a Kelpie taking revenge upon a young lass. 


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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
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43. Samhain: Halloween Traditions & Tales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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42. Return From the Dead: Witches, Warlocks, and The Water of Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:40
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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
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38. The Goodwife of Auchtermuchty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:16
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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
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