Stories From The Otherworld

Ancient Tales from the Celtic Lands

Volume 1. Celtic Tales of Birds & Beasts

Five stories of animals - shapeshifters and Old Ones; wise, humorous, often poignant, but above all, timeless tales of wonder.

The Prince, The Fox & The Sword Of Light

This story is a rendition of J. F. Campbell's Mac Iain Direach from Popular Tales of the West Highlands. The fox's role as a `wizard of changes' restores this magical beast to the status he probably enjoyed before the widespread domestication of animals cast him in the role of cunning thief.

The Selkie

Tradition has it that the MacCodrums of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides were descended from seals. This is my version of the classic selkie story.

The Legend of the Oldest Animals

From Wales comes this strange little tale, both solemn and humourous, revealing the Celtic reverence towards animals as ancient bearers of wisdom. In another Welsh story, Culhwch and Olwen, some of these `oldest animals' help the hero find the lost Child-God, Mabon. Ousel is another name for the blackbird.

The Black Wolf

From Lady Wilde's Ancient Legends of Ireland, this tale recalls the long Celtic tradition of friendliness between wolves and human beings. A number of clans regarded this animal as their totem beast.

The Children of Lir

Known in Ireland as one of the "Three Sorrows of Storytelling", this poignant tale features the most magical of Celtic birds, the swan. In many Irish legends, beautiful Otherworldly women appear in the mortal world in the shape of swans, and it seems that this bird is a symbol of the soul itself. This retelling has been influenced by a number of versions, but owes most to Ella Young's lovely rendition in Celtic Wonder Tales.