'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.