Lea Taylor

This journey in the folklore of Britain and Ireland will bring us to Lothian, one of the ancient kingdoms of Scotland that took its name from Loth, King Arthur’s brother-in-law, and more specifically in the district of Midlothian whose heart beats in Edinburgh.

We meet an elderly lady whose passion for her apple tree leads to a visit from Death and a clever trick, we uncover four mysterious small coffins whose origin and purpose remain unknown to this day and did you know that in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, an ass of a man once sold his wife by public auction? In Newhaven, a young woman and her baby become the tree to protect and bless their village while the fights between Catholics and Protestants are never far away.

In another outstanding legend, a young woman named Maggie was hanged and lived twice because everything can happen in Scotland… Another girl discovers that her father takes part in dark rituals in a tale that will freeze your blood. Speaking for myself, I had my answer as to what is that small statue of a Moor near Canongate. We are given a lovely, spirited version of Grimm’s tale The Elves and the Shoemaker, and we meet a brilliant girl who refused to marry a brutish idiot, tricking him into marrying a horse. And, naturally, we have highwaymen, Grey Ladies, Hell Hounds and Selkies.

Lea Taylor is an extraordinary storyteller. She creates wonders by mixing the past and the present, the legends and the details of daily life, and breathes life into tales that echo the spirit of one of the most beautiful regions of our world.

This is my favourite volume in the series, and reading it was a true privilege.

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