Stories from South Uist - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1874744262 ISBN 13: 9781874744269

Publisher: Birlinn Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

This is an extraordinary collection of tales from one of the very greatest Gaelic storytellers, Angus MacLellan, and translated by one of Scotland's finest Celtic Scholars, John Lorne Campbell. The stories in the book include every type of tale found on South Uist, from Fingalian heroes and ghost stories to international folktales and humorous and historical local anecdotes. These tales of ancient kings, thrilling escapes, jealous stepmothers and magic spells are fascinating not only for their narrative power, but also their links with myths and legends from Ireland, Scandinavia, France and Greece. The Hebridean island of South Uist was one of the last places in Western Europe where the ancient art of Storytelling was still honored and practiced, and the style of these translations is at once original and hypnotic, reflecting the oral tradition at their source.

About this title

About the Author:

Angus MacLellan was born in 1869. His life encompassed two centuries and great changes in the Scottish way of life, from rural to industrial, from island to mainland. He left Uist to go into camp with the militia, before working for farmers on the mainland in Perthshire and Argyll. He later returned to the family croft on South Uist to work at inshore fishing and crafting. John Lorne Campbell was the author of numerous books and articles, including Canna: the Story of a Hebridean Island, the island that was his home from 1938 to his death in 1996. He was instrumental in ensuring that the island pass into the care of the National Trust for Scotland in order that its natural and cultural heritage be protected. He was honored with numerous awards during his life, including honorary degrees from the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford, fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and in 1990 an OBE.

Language Notes:

Text: English (translation)

About this edition

• Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1874744262
• ISBN 13: 9781874744269
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 262