Scottish Myths and Legends

Myths and legends are woven into the very fabric of Scotland’s wild landscapes. I imagine Scotland’s first settlers arriving, perhaps still carrying the scars of an Ice Age in their psyche. The trauma of such an event would have governed the belief systems of a people for countless generations. I imagine the early people, hunter-gatherers, following the salmon runs along winding rivers that led them into the heart of the Caledonian Forest. This was life in the raw, wondering where the next meal would come from, exposed to all in the elements in all the seasons.

The Myths and Legends of Scotland’s First Settlers

I imagine these people sharing a campfire and whispering tales beneath the stars as they tried to make sense of the world, they lived in. Perhaps the tales were told to help them forget the hunger that gnawed at their bellies or to hide their fears as wolves howled nearby and trees rustled as bears prowled in the vicinity. These were a people as vulnerable as the other creatures of the forest.

I imagine their hushed tones, the reverence in their voices as stories evolved about the spirits that lived in the animals and trees, the stones and the rivers. Tales began of Gods and Goddesses who governed the seasons and the cycle of day and night. Tales to explain the night skies. Cautionary tales to warn the young ones of the dangers of the world they lived in, a world where death constantly stalked them. Thus, the first of Scotland’s myths and legends were formed.

Neolithic Farmers add to the Mythscape

Over time, archetypes formed, and the people became attuned to the land. They learned to control the wild. The first Neolithic farmers were able to change the land in a way it had never been before. Food became more predictable. There was time to build structures to live in. There was time to build structures to their Gods, their ancestors and to follow the changes in the night skies. Memorials could be built to mark the passing of loved ones. People began to be bound to one place and to build permanent homes. It was a time when structures such as Orkney’s Maehowe, the Stone Circles at Calanais or the Clava Cairns were built. New belief systems were needed to accommodate the changes in their lives. Layers were added to the tales. New myths and legends were formed. New exploits were told.

Then, in time, people formed into tribes. The warrior was born. Evolving belief systems and archetypes were developed to help the people cope with their new world and its changing society. No doubt new tales were told to explain why their Neolithic ancestors left stone circles and henges, chambered cairns and dolmens. These people still saw the world as alive with magic and meaning. Every loch, glen, and standing stone was a threshold to the otherworld, every forest a realm of spirits and ancient gods. Rivers were worshipped as goddesses.

New Arrivals bring New Myths and Legends

Other people arrived and brought with them their own folk beliefs. The Scots from Dal Riata shared not only their Gaelic tongue but also a rich tradition of myths and legends. Their tales of heroes like Fionn mac Cumhaill and the warrior band of the Fianna became as much a part of the Hebrides as the wild landscape itself. The old Irish gods and goddesses mingled with local spirits, deepening the tapestry of folklore that bound people to the land.

Later, the Vikings came from the north. They brought with them sagas of sea serpents and giants, and their own gods and monsters found a home in the Scottish imagination. Orkney’s Stoorworm, a monstrous sea serpent, is said to have been borrowed from Norse legend. Meanwhile, the shape-shifting selkies and fierce water horses of the lochs may have roots in both Celtic and Norse traditions.

Myths and Legends around the Ceilidh Fire

Christianity added another layer to the mythscape of Scotland. The old ways were hidden, veiled in tales of heroism. For many generations, the stories told around the ceilidh fires were remnants of the old religion, echoes of forgotten deities who shaped the land and the lives of those who dwelled upon it. The Cailleach, the Queen of Winter, was said to stride across the mountains, her plaid washing in the Atlantic whirlpools. Meanwhile, Brìde, the goddess of spring, brought light and renewal.

And, from the murky depths of Loch Ness came the most famous of Scotland’s mythical creatures. Yes, Nessie is often classified as a dragon, though she may be a member of that legendary species, the each-uisge or water horse. However, cryptozoologists will swear that she is a leftover plesiosaurus. And what of the Grey Man of Ben Macdui? Is he Scotland’s equivalent of the Yeti or Sasquatch (Big Foot)?

Local Myths and Legends

Across Scotland, every region has its own store of myths and legends, each rooted in a particular landscape or shaped by a moment in history. Ancient fire festivals still blaze in remote communities, their origins lost in the mists of time, echoing rituals from long before Christianity reached these shores. There are stories of those accused of witchcraft and condemned to death, and tales of the gifted few like the Brahan Seer who possessed the ‘second sight’. The restless spirits of the past are said to wander the moors, glens, and ruined castles, their presence felt in the chill of the air and the hush of twilight, keeping the old stories alive for those who care to listen.

These myths and legends are not just tales, but living memories, binding people to place and to each other, shaping a sense of identity and belonging. They teach us about the ecology of the land and the waters around our shores. Our need for story is still great today. We read books and watch television and films, filled with stories of our time and world. We use them to make sense of life today, but there is a caveat. Our stories have largely become disconnected from the land, which is the very lifeblood of our existence.

The Forgetting

We have forgotten our place within nature. We no longer see the spirits in the animals and plants, the stones and the rivers. They have become commodities to be used for pleasure and the building of wealth. We are losing our identity to the internet. Our regional cultures are disappearing, replaced by consumerism. Forests have been felled. Animals have vanished. I worry that as we forget the old myths and legends, we are losing something important to our survival.

However, if you can keep an open mind as you wander the moors or linger by a misty loch in the gloaming, you might still sense the presence of the ancient ones, or catch a glimpse of the creatures that exist in Scotland’s mythscape.

Creatures in Scottish Myths and Legends

Aonghas Òg/ Young Angus/ Dream Angus:

Aonghas Òg, or “Young Angus,” is a Gaelic deity associated with youth, love, and the warmth of summer. In Scottish folklore, he’s often depicted playing a golden harp with silver strings, its enchanting music drawing maidens to follow him into the woods. While he’s a powerful figure in myth, he also appears in the well-known Scottish lullaby “Dream Angus,” where he takes on a more gentle role as a benign bringer of dreams

Ashrays:

The Ashray or Asrais is a water-loving creature which is completely translucent in appearance. Sometimes mistaken for a sea ghost, the Ashrays are unable to live on land and can only be found under water. They can be male or female, and resemble humans in their late teens or early twenties. The best time to look for an Ashray is in the dead of night for they are completely nocturnal.

Baisd Bheulach:

A shapeshifting demon who haunted the Odail Pass on the Isle of Skye. Its’ howls could be heard in throughout the night. When it has been seen, it is described as taking the form of a man or beast and sometimes a greyhound dog running between large stones.

Baobhan Sìth:

A particularly evil and dangerous female vampire from the highlands of Scotland who preyed on unwary male travellers in the glens and mountains.

Bauchin (Gaelic bòcan, English buckawn or bogan):

The bauchan is a type of domestic hobgoblin in Scottish folklore. It is often mischievous and sometimes dangerous, but can be very helpful when the need arises.

Beither:

The largest and deadliest of Scotland’s Sea serpents.

Benandonner:

Benandonner is the Scottish Giant who got into an argument with Fionn mac Cumhaill. This story explains the origin of the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.

Bean Nighe:

The bean nighe (pronounced “ben-neeyah”) or washer woman, can be seen at the side of desolate streams and pools washing the blood-stained clothing of those who are about to meet a violent death. The clothing she washes takes different forms depending upon the legend. Sometimes it is burial shrouds and in others, it is the bloodstained clothing of those who will soon die. Unlike the Irish version bean sidhe (banshee), who is very beautiful, she is extremely ugly. She is sometimes described as having a single nostril, one large buck tooth, and extremely long breasts, which she must throw over her shoulders to prevent them getting in the way of her washing. Her long stringy hair is partially covered with a hood and a white gown or shroud is her main wardrobe. Dressed in green, she was a small in stature and had webbed feet.

Big Ears:

King of the Cait Sìth, a fearsome cat from Scottish Highland folklore. This creature is said to have huge ears and piercing yellow eyes. In ancient times, it was summoned during a divination ritual known as the taghairm, where cats were cruelly roasted alive for several days without food.

Black Donald:

A Highland name for the Devil himself, Black Donald (Scottish Gaelic: Domhnall Dubh) is said to stalk the glens in many guises—but his cloven hooves always give him away. No matter the disguise, those split footprints in the peat betray the dark one beneath.

Blue Men of the Minch:

Also known as storm kelpies or in Scottish Gaelic as na fir ghorma, fear gorm or sruth nam fear gorm, are mythological creatures inhabiting the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink.  They lived in clans in underwater caves and were blamed for shipwrecks.

Bodach:

This is the Gaelic word for an old man.  The Bodach was said to slip down the chimney and steal or terrorise little children. He would prod, poke, pinch, pull and in general disturb the child until he had them reeling with nightmares. However, he will only bother naughty children.

Bodach Cleocain Deirg (The Old Man of the Red Cloak):

This spectre haunted the narrow pass at Coylumbridge.

Am Bodach Ghoirtean (The Old Man of Garten) /Ly Erg:

A spirit which lives in the woods between Loch Garten and Loch Mallachy. It roams the countryside after dark, giving warnings of impending death.

Bodach Lamh Dheirg (The Spectre or Old Man of the Bloody Hand):

A giant figure, dressed in the outfit of a Highland warrior and having one hand always dripping in blood. He appears at the east end of Loch Morlich by Aviemore.

Bodachan Sabhail (Little Old Man of the Barn):

A brownie who would come to the aid of ageing farmers and thresh their grain for them.

Bogle (boggle or bogill):

A bogle is a mischievous, often malevolent, supernatural creature, sometimes described as a ghost or a hobgoblin. Bogles are known for their playful, yet sometimes unsettling, pranks and their tendency to perplex and annoy humans rather than inflict serious harm. They are often associated with unsettling noises, unexplained messes, and frustrating situations.

Boobrie:

The boobrie is a mythological shapeshifting entity inhabiting the lochs of the west coast of Scotland. It commonly takes on the appearance of a gigantic water bird resembling a cormorant or great northern diver, but it can also shape shift into the form of various other mythological creatures such as a water bull.

Bregdi:

Bregdi, a malevolent sea monster from the waters around Shetland, is dreaded for its tendency to pursue boats. When it catches up with a vessel, it coils its long fins around it, lifting them over the gunwales, and then plunges into the depths with the boat trapped in its deadly grip.

The Brollachan:

A water spirit and the son of the Fuath.

Brown Man of the Muirs:

A dwarf from the Scottish borders who serves as a guardian spirit over the wild animals. He wore brown clothes and had a shock of frizzy red hair and wild looking eyes.

Brownie or Booman:

Small, shaggy, brown man who wears tattered clothes and works as a ‘house faerie’ or domestic servant. However, they do not like to be seen and will only work at night, traditionally in exchange for small gifts of food.

Cailleach Bheur:

A blue faced hag found in the Scottish Highlands or is known as the Carlin in eastern Scotland.  She is also known as Beira, Queen of the Winter. She is ill-tempered and dangerous and is seen with a crow on her left shoulder. Associated with winter she was reborn at Samhain or Halloween and ruled over winter when she brought the winter snows. She carried a magical staff which froze the ground with every tap. She also guarded animals in winter.

Cait Sìth:

Fairy cat who haunted the highland region. As big as a dog, the cait sith was completely black apart from one white spot on its breast. The Highlanders did not trust the Cat Sìth. They believed that it could steal a person’s soul, before it was claimed by the gods, by passing over a corpse before burial; therefore, watches called the Feill Fadalach (Late Wake) were performed night and day to keep the Cat Sìth away from a corpse before burial.

Caoineag/ Caointeach (The Weeper):

A banshee-like spirit attached to the clans of the Highlands who could be heard wailing at the bottom of waterfalls before there is death or catastrophe within the clan. A Caioneag was supposedly heard to wail on the evening of the Massacre Of Glencoe.

Cairbre:

A deity who carried the souls of those slain in battle to flathanas (Heaven). Cairbre means ‘charioteer’.

Ceasg:

The ceasg is a mermaid of Scottish folklore, with the upper body of a beautiful woman and the tail of a grilse (a young salmon). In Scottish Gaelic she is called maighdean na tuinne (“maid of the wave”) and maighdean mhara (“maid of the sea”). She dwells not only in the sea but also in rivers and streams, and anyone who captures her may demand three wishes.

Changeling:

A changeling was a substitute left by a faerie being when kidnapping a human being, usually a baby. The child might be a replacement for faerie children in the tithe to Hell. This is best known from the ballad of Tam Lin. According to common Scottish myths, a child born with a caul (part of the amniotic membrane) across their face is a changeling and will soon die.

Cirein-croin:

A monstrous sea creature from Scottish Gaelic folklore, it was said to be so immense that it could devour seven whales. It often lured unsuspecting fishermen by disguising itself as a small, shimmering silver fish, only to revert to its true, terrifying form once brought aboard.

Ciuthach:

A malevolent, shadowy entity from Scottish Highland folklore, often described as a grotesque, misshapen figure with animalistic features like sharp claws or glowing eyes. It is said to dwell in remote caves and isolated, craggy places, preying on the unwary. Some tales suggest it can shape-shift or become invisible.

Coliunn gunn Chean (the Headless trunk):

A huge, hulking ghost with no head who haunted the Macdonald lands. Apparently, he carried his severed head around with him and threw it at his victims, mostly travellers, to stun them before murdering them.

Crodh Mara:

The fairy cattle or sea cattle of Scottish folklore. They are said to inhabit fresh and saltwater on the west coast of Scotland. They are usually hornless and dun, except those near the Isle of Skye, which are red and speckled or black. If the bulls of the crodh mara mate with mortal cattle, they will improve the stock.

Crom Dubh na Nollaigh:

Crom Dubh na Nollaig (“the dark, crooked one of Christmas”) was said to arrive with the wind howling down the chimney, coming to frighten children who had misbehaved. In Scottish lore—especially on the Isle of Islay—he serves as a midwinter bogey akin to the Alpine Krampus, a shadowy counterpart to gift-giving figures who enforces seasonal discipline.

Cu Sìth:

Faerie dogs that can be seen crossing the wastelands at night. The dog was green with long, shaggy hair. It was roughly the size of a young bull. According to legend, the creature was capable of hunting silently, but would occasionally let out three terrifying bays, and only three, that could be heard for miles by those listening for it, even far out at sea. Those who hear the baying of the Cù-Sìth must reach safety by the third bark or be overcome with terror to the point of death.

Cuachag:

The cuachag is a kind of fuath, a dangerous water-sprite localised in Scotland’s central Highlands. Loch Cuaich, about eight miles southwest of Kingussie, takes its name from this spirit. The name also connects with the Gaelic word for “cuckoo,” and the cuckoo itself is significant in Scottish tradition as a herald of spring and a bird of omens, which lends an added layer of folkloric resonance to the cuachag’s lore.

Dhu Guisch/ Beast of the Charred Forest/ The Dragon of Dornoch:

The Beast of the Charred Forests, or Dhu Guisch, is a fearsome, fire-breathing dragon from Sutherland, Scotland, said to have incinerated vast ancient woodlands. This terrifying monster could only be slain by someone who saw it before it saw them, a feat achieved by Saint Gilbert of Dornoch.

Domhnull Mor Bad an t-Sithean (Big Donald, King of the Faeries):

Big Donald, King of the Fairies, resides in Glen More’s Loch Morlich area. He’s known for playing invisible bagpipes and once drove away lowlanders by pelting them with sticks and stones.

Dragons:

These frequently appear as water dragons such as the Stoorworm, the dragon which guarded the rowan tree on Fraoch Eilean or the tale of the Dragon of Strathmartin and the Nine Maidens.

Dunnie or Doonie:

A Dunnie is a small Brownie-like being in the folklore of the Anglo-Scottish borders, specifically Northumberland and Galloway. The Dunnie is a trickster. It has been known to shape-shift into a horse in order to trick a rider into mounting him before disappearing and leaving them in the muddiest part of the road. He also is said to disguise as plough-horses only to vanish when the ploughman takes him into the stalls. It is said to roam the Cheviot Hills, singing. In one theory, it has been suggested that it might be the ghost of a reiver (A border raider or bandit).

Each Uisge:

They were shapeshifters who sometimes came in the guise of a fine horse or a pony. Although similar to the Kelpie, they are far more dangerous. They inhabit lochs and seas and eat their victims after tearing them into pieces. One was reported to be found in Loch-na-Beist in the 1800s.

Earth Hound (Yard Dog, Yird Swine):

A mysterious cryptid from Aberdeenshire folklore, the Earth Hound is a rodent-like creature with a dog-like head, pig snout, and mole-like feet, said to burrow into graves and feed on human corpses. Though its existence is unproven, historical sightings and its association with death reflect a deep-seated cultural unease about disturbances of the dead.

Fachan (Peg-Leg-Jack/ Direach):

A giant/ cruel, malevolent faerie with improbable deformities. One hand emerges from his chest; one leg is attached to his haunch; one eye rests in his head, one tooth juts from his mouth and one tuft of rigidly inflexible hair grows from that head.

Fat Lips (or Fatlips)

Fat Lips is a legendary spirit said to dwell in Dryburgh Abbey in Berwickshire, Scotland. This helpful entity was first reported by a homeless woman who took refuge in a vault beneath the abbey ruins after the 1745 Jacobite rising. She claimed Fat Lips was a small man who would tidy her cell in her absence and keep it dry by stamping away moisture with his heavy iron boots.

Fideal:

An evil freshwater creature which inhabits Loch Na Fideil near Gairloch. The creature was known to drag women and children under the water and devour them.

Finfolk (Finnfolk):

In Orkney lore, the Finfolk are sorcerous shapeshifters from Finfolkaheem who surface in spring and summer, wading, swimming, or rowing to the islands. Both Finman and Finwife are said to abduct fishermen or carefree youths near the shore, carrying them off to serve as unwilling spouses for life.

Fionn mac Cumhiall:

Fionn MacCuimhill, a legendary hero from Irish/ Gaelic mythology, whose name means ‘white’ or ‘bright’. He is the leader of the Fianna, a band of young roving hunter-warriors, as well as being a seer and poet. Fionn is said to have a magic thumb that bestows him with great wisdom, derived from the Salmon of Knowledge. He is the giant from folklore who created the Giant’s Causeway and got into an altercation with the Scottish giant, Benandonner.

Frìde:

A supernatural creature of Highland folklore, the frìde (plural: fridean) is a fairy said to dwell in or under rocks, greedily consuming any spilled milk or crumbs. In a well-known tale, a piper and his dog pursue a frìde into a winding cavern; the piper’s music is heard above ground for a time, but he never returns, and the dog emerges hairless—only to die immediately.

Fuath (Fuathan):

A generic term for Scottish water spirits who dwell in the sea, in rivers, and in freshwater and sea lochs.

Geancanach:

They are the pixie-like guardians of the home hearth, although they sometimes enjoy playing pranks.

Gentle Annie/ Gentle Annie

The nature spirit and Hag controlling the southwesterly gales and winds in the Cromarty Firth. The Firth is guarded against the wind on the north and east by tall hills, but a gap allows sporadic and violent wind bursts to rush through, earning the fay a reputation for treachery. It is thought that this might be another manifestation of the Cailleach or Carlin.

Ghillie Dhu:

In Scottish folklore, the Ghillie Dhu or Gille Dubh was a solitary male faerie. He was kindly and reticent yet sometimes wild in character but had a gentle devotion to children. Dark-haired and clothed in leaves and moss, he lived in a birch wood within the Gairloch and Loch a Druing area of the north-west highlands of Scotland.

Gigelorum (Giol-Daoram):

It was once thought to be the smallest creature there could be. It was an insect so tiny that it could live inside the ear of a mite.

Glaistig, the Green Maiden (Gaelic: maighdean uaine):

A shape-shifting female spirit linked to the “green lady” legends of Scottish castles, the Glaistig can be either protective or deadly. She appears as a beautiful woman or a disturbing half‑goat, half‑woman, masking her legs with a long green dress when in human guise. In some tales, she begs to be carried over a stream, only to betray her helper and murder them.

Gobhar Bacach (Lame Goat):

A wandering supernatural beast said to seek out the richest pasture, the “lame goat” would lie upon the best land and claim it as its own. On Skye, it was known as the glas ghoibhle.  A lush stretch in Strath is still known as Leaba na glais-ghoibhle, and the creature is also linked with Glendale. Ever in milk, this uncanny goat was famed for yielding enough to provision a great host of warriors

The Grey Man of Ben MacDui

The Grey Man of Ben Macdhui or Am Fear Liath Mòr is a sinister presence said to haunt Scotland’s second-highest peak. Is this a Yeti- type creature? The ghost of a fallen climber? Or just a trick of nature played on weary hill-walkers?

Grin Iron Wife:

Grin Iron Wife is a ghostly sea-witch who is said to live in the sea caves around the village of Hopeman on the Moray Firth. She is said to lure children and the elderly to their deaths.

Grogan (Gruagach):

A Highland brownie who helped around the farm.

Habetot:

A border faerie associated with spinning wool.

Hogboy / Hogboon:

This is a creature from Orcadian folklore that is said to be the guardian of ‘mounds’ such as Maeshowe. This myth has its origins among the Norse settlers, where it began as an ancestor spirit but later became a supernatural guardian. It can also become the guardian of farms, but a word of caution to the human occupiers! This creature needs to be plied with libations of food and drink to keep its favour. Otherwise…

Jenny Wi’ the Iron Teeth:

This is a monster from Carnannock Cairn, who is immortalised through a poem by Alexander Anderson. Jenny is a monster who comes out at night and carries off young children who refuse to go to bed.

Jock O’Bennachie:

According to local tradition, the Aberdeenshire hill, Bennachie was guarded by a giant named Jock. Jock’s main rival was also named Jock- Jock O’ Noth. Tap O’ Noth is a hill overlooking the Aberdeenshire village of Rhynie. Both giants threw rocks at each other as they vied for the affections of a Giantess named Lady Anne.

Kelpie:

Kelpies are the most common water spirits in Scottish folklore.  They can, however, live both in water as well as on land. These malevolent shape-shifting creatures often appear in legends as strong and beautiful black horses which live in the deep pools of rivers and streams in Scotland. Kelpies are known for preying on the humans they encounter. The hooves of the kelpie are thought to be reversed to those of a regular horse. In Aberdeenshire, the kelpie allegedly has a mane of serpents. Meanwhile, the kelpie of River Spey was known to be white and capable of singing.

Kinveachy Giant:

A giant found in the Kinveachy Forest outside Aviemore. He kept his heart under a stone so he could not be killed.

Lavallen:

Lavellans are water rodents that live in deep pools and rivers. In Scottish Gaelic, làbh-allan names the water shrew and water vole and is likewise used for the mythical creature.

Linton Worm or Dragon:

The Linton Worm or Dragon was a legless, wingless wyrm which terrorised the inhabitants of Linton in Roxburghshire on the Scottish Borders. Its reign of terror was brought to an end due to the cunning of John de Somerville, Laird of Lariston.

Loch Ness Monster

A water dragon/ serpent or Each usige is said to live in Loch Ness. Saint Columba apparently tamed the monster in 565 CE. Prior to this she was a man-eating terror!

Loireag:

A Highland fairy specifically responsible for overseeing the making of cloth through all its stages, from loom to fulling. She was a stickler for the traditional methods and standards.  Libations of milk were made by home producers to appease her.

Luideag:

Murderous female demon of Scottish Gaelic oral tradition. Squalid in appearance as she was evil, the luideag haunted several pools on the Isle of Skye, especially the Lochan of the Black Trout. Her name means ‘rags’.

Maggy Moulach / Mag Molach (Hairy Meg):

Maggy Moulach, otherwise known as Hairy Meg, is, perhaps, one of the most well-known Brownies of Scottish folklore. Like most Brownies, Maggy was a benevolent house goblin who was generally associated with Tullochgorm Castle

Monster of Loch Garten:

This is a carnivorous water monster, a cross between a bull and a stallion, said to live in Loch Garten.

Morag:

Morag is said to be a relation of the Loch Ness Monster. She inhabits Loch Morar.

Muime:

Muime is a Gaelic word meaning step or foster mother, except around StrathSpey, this has also come to mean the stepmother of the King of Lochlann, a monsterous creature who set fire to the Ancient Caledonian Pine Forest in a tale that is reminiscient of that of the Dhu Guish.

Marool:

A sinister denizen of Shetland’s seas, the Marool is a devilish fish-shaped spirit, its body studded with thousands of watchful eyes and crowned by a crest like bright red flame. Sailors say it sings with delight when storms overturn ships, and it is most often glimpsed riding phosphorescent sea foam.

Muc-sheilch:

A kin to the famed Nessie yet unmistakably its own beast, the Muc-sheilch haunts the waters of Loch Maree in Wester Ross. Described as a loch-dwelling monster with a distinctive form, it was said to slip between neighbouring lochs.

Muilearteach:

The storm-goddess of the sea. With a blue-black face and a single eye, she closely resembles and might be an alternative version of the Chailleach.

Nuckelavee:

A horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology. Its home was in the sea, but it frequently ventured on land to feast upon humans. A hideous creature, part horse and part man, with long sinewy arms. He had no skin, and his muscle structure and veins could be clearly seen. The nuckelavee had an aversion to fresh water.

Nuggle:

A mischievous water horse of Shetland lore, the Nuggle prowls the moonlit edges of lochs, streams, and sea-washed shores. Always male and fond of nocturnal mischief, he slips from the dark to toy with islanders and unwary travellers alike.

Otter King:

The ‘Otter King’ was a kind of sith or fairy otter. They were dangerous and would devour any animal or beast which crosses their path. The  Otter King was supposedly white with black-rimmed ears and a black cross on his back. Alternatively, it could be pure black with a spot of white on his belly. When captured, these beasts would grant any wish in exchange for their freedom. Their skins were much sought after as it was thought to provide protection against drowning and to render a warrior invincible. Fortunately,  Otter Kings were hard to kill, their only vulnerable point being a small spot below their chin. Their burial grounds were said to be found near Eilean Donan Castle.

The Pechs:

Another name for the Picts, who were often seen as fairies by the conquering Scots, many hundreds of years later. They are small in stature yet impossibly strong, the Pech are gnome-like beings of Scottish lore, famed for brewing heather ale, clashing with early Scots, and raising the ancient stone megaliths and souterrains. In one tale, a dying, blind elder asks two youths to let him feel their muscles; they slip a metal cup into his hand as a jest, and he idly crushes it to shards, proving that even on his deathbed, his strength outstrips theirs.

Pellaidh (Peallaidh):

A shaggy sprite of Scottish lore. Its name meaning “Shaggy One.” Pellaidh is a branch of the Fuath that does not live in the water, haunting the banks and margins of water rather than the waves themselves. Kin to the Urisks, it often startles humans without intending harm, trailing lonely travellers at dusk in a rumpled, eager pursuit that’s more forlorn than fearsome.

The Phantom Piper of the Fairy Caves:

In Stranraer, the shadowed caverns of Grennan and Clanyard Bay were long shunned as fairy-haunted ground. One night, a bold piper ventured in with his faithful dog, his music echoing along the stone until, note by note, it thinned and faded into silence. The dog burst back out—howling, shorn of fur, and in some tellings missing a leg—while the piper was never seen again. Yet on soft summer nights, locals say a distant skirl of pipes still drifts from the depths, as if he plays on for the fair folk below.

Puddlefoot:

A Perthshire water spirit who haunted a pool near Pitlochry. The Puddlefoot is a Urisk or Brownie.

Redcaps, Dunters or Powries:

A Red Cap or Redcap, a powrie or dunter, is a type of malevolent, murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in the Scottish Borders. They are said to inhabit ruined castles. Redcaps are said to murder travellers who stray into their homes and dye their hats with their victims’ blood. Legends vary, but they are usually vicious, with red eyes, big teeth and talons.

Sea Mither:

A mighty summer spirit of Orkney lore, the Sea Mither rises with the mild months to soothe waves, still the winds, and bring calm to the northern waters. Each year she wages her timeless battle against Teran, the harsh winter spirit, wrestling storms into quiet until the seasons turn and the struggle begins anew.

Selkie:

Shape-shifting sea-fairies usually in the form of bright-eyed seals. They are said to come on land in human form where they would dance, especially on full moon nights. Selkies were said to be found on the Island of Eilean Donan. In Gaelic, the word for a selkie is synonymous with mermaids. There is some debate on whether the mermaid of Ardvreck castle was indeed a Selkie.

Seonaidh (Shony/Shoney):

A water spirit of the Isle of Lewis, Seonaidh was once placated with a midnight offering of ale to win a bounty of seaweed to be used as fertiliser for the fields. After brewing a communal batch, one man waded to his waist and cried, “Seonaidh, I give thee this cup of ale,” before casting it into the sea; the people then returned to a candlelit church, snuffed the flame at a signal, and made merry in the fields till dawn, trusting in a plentiful crop. The rite bears the marks of an older harvest god, lightly draped in Christian custom. However, some point out that this name means Johnny in Gaelic and so might refer to one of the Saint Johns.

Shellycoat:

A male water spirit from the border region. They wore shells and could be malevolent.

Shoopiltee
A water horse from the Shetland Isles, it took the appearance of a small horse.

Sìth (Faeries):

Often called “the wee folk,” faeries or the sìth as they are called in Gaelic, are central to Scottish folklore and appear in many forms under many names. They are commonly divided into two courts: the Seelie, dangerous yet less malevolent, whose members are mischievous but often harmless; and the Unseelie, malicious beings known to harm humans for sport.

Skree:

On the eve of the Battle of Culloden, a horrific harbinger of doom was allegedly seen hovering over the Jacobite forces. It was described as being a harpy-like creature with a human head, leathery wings and red eyes. Among those who saw it was Lord George Murray, a general renowned for his level-headedness.

The Sluagh:

A fearsome host of spirits said to haunt Scotland’s Western Isles, the Sluagh fly in ragged flocks across the night sky—some call them fallen angels, others the unforgiven dead. Known as Sluagh na marbh, the “host of the dead,” they are feared for swooping down to seize the living, carrying victims high only to cast them to their deaths, or dragging them away to be buried deep in the earth.

Stoorworm:

A gigantic sea serpent of Orcadian folklore.

Stic:

A fairy imp, similar to Shakespeare’s Puck.

Tacharan:

A very small kelpie.

Tangie:

A shape-shifting sea spirit of Orkney and Shetland, the Tangie most often appears as a rough-haired horse dripping with seaweed—or as a wild, seaweed-clad man—haunting storm-lashed shores and luring the unwary into the waves. Fierce and fickle, it neighs on windy nights, tempts riders, and then plunges seaward, a northern cousin to the kelpie whose very name comes from tang, the local word for seaweed.

Tarbh-uisge (Water Bull):

A nocturnal dweller of moorland lochs, the water bull is a Scottish shapeshifter, kin to the Manx tarroo ushtey and Irish tarbh-uisce, generally gentler than the fearsome water horse yet sharing its amphibious, deceptive nature. Folklore says it mates with ordinary cattle, its crossbred calves marked by unusually small ears. In some tales, these calves must be killed by any means but drowning, which cannot harm them, lest they bring misfortune to the herd; in the north, however, such offspring are prized as exceptionally fine.

Tarrans:

Pale, wandering lights said to flicker across the North East of Scotland, the Tarrans were believed to be the restless spirits of unbaptized infants.

Trow:

A malignant or mischievous fairy or spirit in the folkloric traditions of the Orkney and Shetland Islands. They are generally inclined to be short of stature, ugly, and shy. Trows are nocturnal creatures and are similar to Scandinavian trolls. They venture out of their ‘trowie knowes’ (earthen mound dwellings) solely in the evening, and often enter households as the inhabitants sleep. Trows traditionally have a fondness for music. Thus, folktales tell of their habit of kidnapping musicians or luring them to their dens.

Unicorn:

Urisk:

Will-o’-the-Wisps (Gaelic: Teine biorach, “sharp fire”)

A humanoid wolf from Shetland folklore, the Wulver is notably benevolent rather than ferocious. Often seen fishing, it was said to leave fresh fish on the windowsills of poor families to prevent starvation. Unlike werewolves, the Wulver was never human.  In Celtic belief, it evolved from wolves and represents an in‑between stage between wolf and man.

Wyrm:

The wyrm is a legendary dragon-like creature found throughout Scottish folklore. Unlike the classic winged, fire-breathing dragons of modern fantasy, Scottish wyrms are massive, legless, wingless serpents. They are deeply rooted in the landscape and stories of Scotland.  Often, they are used to explain ancient earthworks, henges, and the shapes of hills.