Scottish Folk Tales of Coast and Sea - Hardcover

by Tom Muir (Author)

'Tom's new anthology contains a "wide pantheon of supernatural beings, from the dangerous Blue Men of the Minth and the jealous mermaid of Caithness to the gentle selkie folk who live between two worlds" in stories harvested from the coastlines, lochs and islands of his native lead.' - Coast magazine Book of the Month

Scotland has over 11,600 miles of coastline, so it's no surprise that the sea and shore have been inspiring folk tales for millennia.

In Scottish Folk Tales of Coast and Sea, Orkney storyteller Tom Muir weaves tales from this lore-steeped shoreline, finding selkie folk, pirates and even the devil in the liminal space between land and sea. Learn how death was captured in a nut, how a mermaid wreaked her revenge and how whirlpools were created. Discover a land beneath the waves, the mysterious island of Tir-nan-Og and a chorus of demon cats - but beware the most grotesque monster of them all, the hideous Nuckelavee.

Author Biography

TOM MUIR is a professional storyteller who was born in the Orkney Islands on a farm by the sea. In 2025 he was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list 'for services to Orkney folk tales'. He has worked in the field of archaeology and at the Orkney Museum, and appears on TV, radio and magazines.