Scotland is a land steeped in romance – often these stories end happily but, inevitably, they must sometimes end in tragedy too. The tale of love, faith and heartbreak has been told across the ages, a story that humanity never tires of reading. Such timeless magic weaves through the folk tales of this ancient land, now scattered across the pages of this book.

Within this collection we learn of love in its many and varied forms; love between two people, between parents and children and between friends and communities. From selkies and fairies to witches, ghosts and even the Devil, these ancient Celtic myths are entwined with Scottish folk tales to bring to life experiences of doomed love, cursed love and love foretold by dreams. These tales have been carefully chosen and retold by Orkney storyteller Tom Muir and lovingly given form through the artwork of Hester Aspland.