Scottish folk and fairy tales are full of mischief and malevolence, with spirits and goblins, bogles, witches, kelpies and mer-folk lurking in every corner of the land, behind every tree and craggy rock at midnight. In these pages lurk the Fairy queen, and the Sith, or silent folk, who mingle with animals that speak of prophesy and lore, and enchantments that rule the twilight.

Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction, authors, myths and tales without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new introduction and a Glossary of Terms.

This collection of essays explores the historical importance and imaginative richness of Scotland's extensive contribution to modes of traditional culture and expression: ballads, tales and storytelling, and song. Its underlying aim is to bring about a more dynamic and inclusive understanding of Scottish culture. Rooted in literary history and both comparative and interdisciplinary in scope, the volume covers the key aspects and genres of traditional literature, including the Gaelic tradition, from the medieval period to the present.
Key theoretical and conceptual issues raised by the historical analysis of Scotland's rich store of ballad, song, and folk narrative are discussed in separate chapters. The volume also explores why and how Scottish literary writers have been inspired by traditional genres, modes, and motifs, and the intermingling of folk and literary traditions in writers such as Burns, Scott, and Hogg. It also uncovers the folkloric and mythopoetic materials of early Scottish literature, and the vitality of neglected aspects of Scottish popular culture.
Key Features
Explores the cultural meanings of 'tradition' and 'living tradition' and the roles of historical and modern informants, storytellers, and singersExamines the relationship between the oral and the literary in Scots, Gaelic, and EnglishDraws on a wide range of examples including: Francis J. Child's The English and Scottish Popular Ballads; The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection; the waulking song; Gaelic folktale; the traditions of Fionn mac Cumhail; the songs of Anna Gordon Brown; ballads from Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border and James Hogg's Jacobite Relics; and material from George Campbell Hay, Sorley Maclean and Hamish HendersonGuides readers through some of the key theoretical and conceptual issues in the fieldInclusive of Gaelic, Scots and English traditionsBroad historical coverage from late medieval to the contemporary

This volume of twenty essays presents a unique insight into the world of Scottish children's literature throughout the long nineteenth century. As well as revisiting much-loved authors such as Stevenson, Barrie, and MacDonald, it explores the neglected role of women writers in shaping the inheritance of Scottish children's literature, the significant contribution of Gaelic writers, and the role of folklore and tradition. Essays also examine the significance of children as literary protagonists, and as readers themselves. In recovering these marginal voices and texts, and in showing how well-known stories explore questions of culture, identity, and language, The Land of Story-Booksseeks to restore the traditions of children's writing to the heart of Scottish literary history.