Scotland in 4 Seasons Magazine Spring 2022

Everybody Loves a good story By Storyteller Graeme Johncock

“Everybody loves a good story and Scotland has a long tradition of storytelling, whether it’s mythical creatures, spooky ghosts, or the heroic exploits. The medium of storytelling has changed a little in the modern age. Most people enjoy stories while sitting around the TV instead of a fire, but the essence is still the same. Stories have the ability to get your heart beating a wee bit faster or the hair on the back of your neck to stand up. The Year of Stories should be good news for everybody, but as the writer behind Scotland’s Stories, it’s fantastic for me in particular. I have always enjoyed the stories of Scotland’s history and folklore and a couple of years ago I discovered that I have a knack for telling them as well. Along with my tireless four-legged friend, Molly, we take every opportunity to travel around Scotland, scouring the country for stories. Back at home in Edinburgh, the dog gets a good rest while I get to the real work, writing about what we found. The most important aspect of storytelling for me is to make sure that these tales are as accessible as possible. Not everybody has the time or patience for thorough historical analysis or a 20 minute, elaborate monologue. Keeping my stories short, simple, and entertaining has meant that many more people have been able to enjoy them. Platforms like Instagram have allowed thousands of talented photographers to share Scotland’s spectacular landmarks, but what’s important to me is the story behind that picture. Glencoe is beautiful but people should hear about what happened there. Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most photographed sites in Scotland, but it has fascinating history and folklore to go with that stunning location.

These stories are what truly connect us to the landscape and those that came before. It’s not just the factual events gleaned from the history books, but the traditional tales of folk creatures, ghosts and monsters that give an insight into the beliefs and superstitions of our ancestors. The old stories told to children often had a moral or a warning behind them. Dozens of stories tell of the dangerous Kelpies, shape-shifting water horses lurking in rivers and lochs. These beasts would beckon unwary men, women, and children onto their back and once there, the traveller wouldn’t be able to get off. The Kelpie would then gallop into the water, dragging their prey down to the deep. If there was ever a story to keep children from playing around near the water, that would do the trick. When it comes to important morals, look no further than the story of Mallie and the Trow from Shetland. After her husband is lost at sea, poor Mallie is struggling to feed her children and begs for the charity of a neighbour. Even though her neighbour has plenty to spare, she sees no reason to give any away and closes the door on the widow. When a strange man asks Mallie for hospitality that night, she shared the very last of her food with him, not realising that this was a magical Trow. He was touched by this poor widow helping a stranger when she was in such dire need herself and soon she starts finding gold coins in her peat stack. When the neighbour’s luck had changed, it was her turn to go beg at Mallie’s door. Of course Mallie didn’t turn her away but loaded her up with food and the promise that should she ever need more, all she had to do was ask. For Scotland’s Year of Stories, I’ll be giving live talks and presentations for businesses, societies, and events as well as writing for both online and in print publications. On top of all this, Molly and I will carry on roaming Scotland to bring a new story almost every day through our social media and website.”