The coming of the unicorn : Scottish folk tales for children

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Now included in the wonderful collection of Scottish traditional tales for children, Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds by Duncan Williamson.

Traditional Scottish stories for children, full of animals and ogres, kings and broonies, fairies and ordinary folk.

'Stories are something you carry with you, something to last your entire life, to be passed on to your children, and their children for evermore.'

Duncan Williamson

Duncan Williamson came from a family of Traveling People, who told stories around the campfire for entertainment and for teaching. As a child, Duncan learnt the ways of the world through stories: 'My father's knowledge told us how to live in this world as natural human beings -- not to be greedy, not to be foolish, not to be daft or selfish -- by stories.'

In this collection, he passes on some of these wonderful children's folk and fairy tales. For over sixty years Duncan traveled around Scotland -- on foot, then in a horse and cart, and later an old van -- collecting tales, which not only come from the Traveling People but from the crofters, farmers and shepherds he met along the way.

This collection includes tales about cunning foxes and storytelling cats, hunchbacked ogres and beautiful unicorns, helpful broonies and mysterious fairies, rich kings and fearsome warriors, as well as those about ordinary folk trying to make their way in the world. The stories have been written down as faithfully as possible to Duncan's unique storytelling voice, full of color, humor and life.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

Gather the bairns and the grown folk and set sail for a fine collection of Scottish tales retold by a master storyteller. Williamson was celebrated for a lifetime of traveling the byways of Scotland, collecting and telling tales. In these 18 stories, broonies, fairies and, of course, a unicorn cross paths with common folk on a regular basis. There's a lesson to be learned from each tale, about friendship, kindness, sharing or doing one's duty. Also inherent in most of the tales is a strong respect for nature and for animals. Womankind fares quite well here, as princesses and poor girls strike out on their own and succeed. In "House of the Seven Boulders," a mother with magical gifts doesn't hesitate to do in her own seven destructive sons. Storytellers will recognize many of the motifs and marvel at the familiarity of "The Tailor and the Button." The writing is nicely flavored with Scottish words and phrasing that have not been Americanized. (Occasionally, this results in words that have far different meanings in each country.) As his daughter notes in her introduction, Williamson believed that stories, unlike toys, can "last you the entire time of your life." A fine collection to share, whether read aloud or told. (glossary) (Folklore. 8 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.