 The Dragon in the Woods - Voxter |  Trowie Knowe - Northmaiven |  The Giant's Grave |  The Blacksmith and the Njuggle |  Trowie Knowe - Northmaiven |
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 The Dragon in the Woods - Voxter |  The Giant's Grave |
= DOG FRIENDLY
NOT DOG FRIENDLY =
Folklore & Shetland Stories
NAME: Gallows hill
LOCATION: Scalloway
CREATURE: Witch
STORY: The story of Gallows hill begins in 1590 when a cruel and obnoxious man by the name of Patrick Stewart became Lord of Shetland. He errected Scalloway castle around 1607 which he used to house his representatives and continued to torture locals whom he had little regard for. The walls of the castle itself is said to be made from eggs brutally taken from poor farmers and made secure in a mixture of hair chopped from the heads of local women. For years, he continued to seize lands for his own benifit - and the accusation of witchcraft was a particularly convenient way of depriving people of their property... Admittedly, the first major Scottish witch trials which took place were overseen by King James VI near Edinburgh in 1590. James had strong suspicians about witches after he believed a coven attempted to murder himself and his future wife, Ann, when their ship was almost capsised in sudden stormy weather. The king's obsession with witches was so great that he even created a book named "Daemonologie" after many years of researching them. These suspicians and terror soon swept over Scotland like a virus and it was Patrick Stewart that initiated Orkney's first recorded prosecution for witchcraft in 1594. It is said that the bitter Lord would pick women at random as he pleased to then have them dragged to the top of Gallows hill and burned alive. Shetland people were also beheaded, branded and drowned for small crimes. The site of the "witches ward" is still there to this day where many accused died - though you'll be lucky to get a suspicious local to go anywhere near it! The last two witches to be burned there were Barbara Tulloch and Ellen King in 1712. The hill is said to be haunted by an eerie presence and it is certainly not a place to be around at night.
NOTE: The trick to "ward off witches" is to tie a red ribbon around yourself (this is also handy for keeping your cows safe). You can also nail rowan (a plant) above your door
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: Hjaltadans (meaning "limping dance"). Also known as the Fairy Stones
LOCATION: Fetlar
CREATURE: Trows
STORY: Before we begin the story, let me tell you a little about the trows... Trows are fiesty little creatures that live with us here in Shetland, also known as "da peerie folk" (the little people). They have sharp claws, red eyes, pointed ears and are more tollerated than acccepted by locals. After all, they do have a habbit of kidnapping our children and ripping our clothes for fun (specifically socks!! Cant count how many pairs of socks I have had to replace becuase of them!). Trows absolutely LOVE music, moreover, Shetland fiddle music. So much so, that they take it upon themselves to nick some of the local musicians for their parties! This wouldnt be such a problem, but you see, time travells a lot slower in their magical homes underground as what it does in the real world. So, a couple of hours to them is months to us! Meaning a fiddle player could be missing for a good while and still feel like its the same night he was taken. Dont worry though, they tend to turn up eventually (one fiddle player went missing for a year - must have been a good trowie party!). Many of the old Shetland songs are said to have been written by the trows themselves and learned by the local musicians at their shindigs. Anyway, this story begins a few years ago in Fetlar in the dead of the night...
Tom was a well known fiddle player on the island and credited for his stamina as he was usually the last one standing at a party with instrument still in hand. He lived with his wife in a cozy stone built house on a small croft around the south side of the island. And little did he know, Tom was being watched.. It was a fine autumn night when he and his wife were awoken with the sound of eerie scratches on the door. Before they both knew it, they'd been snatched and where hurredly being dragged up the hill! They were stood in the middle of a circle of cheery trows - delighted that their musician for the night had arrived. Tom was given his fiddle and told to play - and he knew not to argue! For trows can be vicious and mischievous beings, but they are also grateful and pay huge reward to humans who have offered their services. The party was soon underway and before long, Tom and his wife forgot their worry and began to enjoy themselves! The trows danced a "limping dance" around in a circle and cheered for more as the night went on. They were having so much fun, they failed to realise the morning coming! By the time the sun's rays peered over the hills it was too late for them to escape. They were immediately tured to stone - all of them, including poor Tom and his wife (thats what happens when you get caught up in trowie magic!).
The stones can still be seen there today, marked as a circle with tom and his wife in the middle.
The stone circle is said to have historical value too and there is speculation that it was once used as a place of trial and judgement. Only a short distance away from this is three more stone circles named the "Fiddler's Crus". These were thought to be where criminals were tried and condemned (a white boulder, in the centre of the southeastern circle is said to have been the judge’s seat).
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: Busta House
LOCATION: Brae
CREATURE: Ghost
STORY: Busta House is a beautiful big white manor with the earliest part of it being built in 1588 by the Gifford folk.
By 1748, the house was occupied by a wealthy and well established family - Thomas Gifford (the head of the house, a landowner and merchant), his wife (Lady Gifford, previously Elizabeth Mitchell of Scalloway) and their fourteen children! With four of these children being boys, Thomas felt confident that his property and fortune was more than secure to continure with the family name. The Gifford arms can still be seen above the entrance of the home as you pass through. However, controversy was present within the household... For the eldesr son and rightful heir of the land did not have his eye on a lovely bride from a fortuitous family. Instead, he'd fallen in love with his orphaned cousin - Barbara Pitcairn. Barbara lived in the house as a companion to Lady Gifford. Of course, the Giffords were firmly against such an unsuitable a match! So much so, that John's mother said she would "rather see him dead at her feet than married to his cousin".
On May 14th 1748 on a beautiful calm morning, John, his 3 brothers and two other men, set off across the voe to visit relatives at Wethersta on the other side . However, they never returned... People frantically searched for any sign of them, but all they found was the boat - upright, with John’s hat and stick still in it. A few days later, John and the one of the men's bodies was pulled from the sea - and so John came to be laid, dead, at his mother’s feet.
The family were grief striken, they had lost all their sons. But little did they know, Barbara had a secret to tell. She came to the Gifford family in the hope of bringing them some joy at such a woeful time. She and John had married in secret and she was carrying his child - not all was lost. But the Gifford's refused to believe her. Barbara was even said to have produced a marriage certificate as proof, but this was aparently stolen by Lady Gifford who didnt want to see her position taken by such an unworthy soul. Barbara gave birth to a boy who was christened as Gideon. The grandparents took him away at once and decided to bring him up as their heir. Barbara was banished and forced to live out in Lerwick. She only saw her son one last time 7 years later, whereafter she died full of grief at the young age of 35.
Barbara now haunts Busta house looking for her son and has been seen by many visitors. For someone who was so cruely treated, its no wonder her troubled spirit still roams the grounds that should have been hers.
Busta House is a great place to stay and is a DOG FRIENDLY HOTEL! If you're looking for a hotel with a real warm, country feel to it then this is the place for you (so long as your dont mind the ghostly housekeepers of course). The hotel also does a fantastic menu, so even if you're just passing by I recommend you visit for some top quality food!
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: Da Trowie Knowe (featuring the trow catcher!)
LOCATION: Whalsay and Lerwick
CREATURE: Trows
STORY: Get your hands on your very own freshly caught Shetland trow - captured by a professional trow catcher! Once caught, the trow is carefully placed in a jar and the lid secured on tight to make sure it doesnt escape.
WARNING: Do not let the trow out of its enclosure! Your socks will suffer the ill fate of its sharp claws..
You can get your own trow at A One Flooring, Garthspool Road, Lerwick and also from the Whalsay charity shop "SHOARD", Brough, Whalsay.
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: Giant's Grave
LOCATION: Beorgs of Housetter (Northmavine)
CREATURE: Giant
STORY: A long time ago, the area of Northmavine was once terrorised by a gruesome giant that lived at the Beorgs of Housetter (also known as the "Giant's Garden"). It was there that he kept stolen cattle, sheep and other goods, as well as a large net filled with boulders which he planned to use making a causeway to Yell - so he could steal their livestock too of course! Unfortunately for him though, the net wasn’t strong enough to hold the boulders in place and one day the rope split, sending loose rocks tumbling all over hill. The locals eventually lost their temper with him - after all, we work hard raising our beloved animals and it’s rather annoying having them stolen. So a brave crowd of them gathered together and catapulted him to his doom! He fell down the hill and landed in what is now his grave, marked with red granite standing stones: the smaller 6ft 6in stone at his feet and an 8ft one to mark his head.
Both the Giant's grave stones and his garden filled with escaped boulders can be seen to this day!
NOTE: keep an eye out for a circular pile of stones while you're here - this is the entrance to a trowie knowe! See below for more details
To view a map and photos of this location:
NAME: The Kaems Giant
LOCATION: Petta Water, along A970 between the Whiteness juntion and Voe
CREATURE: Giants and trows
STORY: The story of the Giant which used to live up at Kaems hills is best told by M. Robertson in an issue of the "New Shetlandar" publication (issue 31).
"The Trows didn’t limit their pestering to humans, and they were known to bother giants too. A giant in the Kaem hills couldn’t get any peace because of the Trows, as they would climb over him, creep into his ears, and even pull his eyebrows. He made up his mind to put a stop to it and decided to construct a huge creel of straw and carry them over to Norway. He made the enormous creel and then one moonlit night he found the Trows and scooped them all up in his giant hands, and dropped them in the creel and tightened the top up. But when he went to lift it he realised it was too big and he couldn’t get it on his back, so he dragged it to the top of the hill to try lifting it from there. He nearly tore a hole in it from dragging it over the earth, and when he lifted it on to his back the bottom fell out and out came the Trows “wiggling like sillocks” (young coal fish). This made him overbalance and he fell on one knee, forming a gap in the hills still known as k’neefell, and where his other foot fell became a loch, Pettawater. In the moonlit nights of harvest, the Trows come out and sing and dance around Pettawater, just as they did when they escaped from the giant"
Taken from http://faeryfolklorist.blogspot.co.uk/ (this site is brilliant for everything folklore based!)
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: The white wife
LOCATION: Watlee Brig, Unst
CREATURE: Ghost
STORY: The story of the white wife of Unst is a perplexing one as nobody really knows who she is. All the locals can tell of her is that she is an elderly woman with yellow, grotty teeth and pale white skin who appears in the front passenger seat of cars driven by young single men (apparently she has a liking for red cars too?). She has appeared a few times and needless to say, scared the pants off of a few brave local lads! Some of whom did not believe in ghosts. The stone next to the bridge over the loch is said to have some significance to the ghost and currently has a white face painted on it to warn passers by. Some have mentoned that she is "looking for her son", but nobody knows why she picks on the poor guys in their cars who happen to be drivng past at night!
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: How midgees were created
LOCATION: Burra
CREATURE: Giant
STORY: For those of you who have either lived in or visited Scotland around the warm summer days, you will all know about the plight of the midgees.. For those of you who havent? Be yee warned! Midgees are horrible little black insects who love nothing more than to fly right in your face and nip whatever oriface of your body they can find (not good when they get in your eye). Prepare to be swarmed and bitten all over if you come here on a nice calm day! But where did they come from? Here, I have the answer for you...
The lands of Burra were once terrorised by a fearsome and horrible giant who sat and slept on the island between Papil and Houss. There, he also kept his stolen sheep which he would feast upon when he woke. However, as appetizing as those little lambs were were, there was a certain delicassy which the giant had a particular taste for - children. Whenever he felt like it, the gaint would jump onto the main island and gobble them up. The locals always knew when he was coming, for they would hear his voice booming over the hills saying "I'm coming to eat you!" before he appeared. Naturally, as you can imagine, they soon grew sick of his grusome ways and devised a plan to get rid of him. They asked a young local boy who was quick on his feet to get the giant to chase him - down the hill towards Bannamin beach where the adults would be waiting with a large rope to trip him. The boy agreed, and the plan was soon underway.. One afternoon the giant awakened with a strong hunger in his belly. "I'm coming to eat you!" he growled from his island and turned towards Burra isle. To his surprise and delight, he then spied a young boy waiting for him on the waters edge. "I'm coming to eat YOU!" laughed the giant and he set off after him. The boy gave a squeak before leaping off like a rabbit hurredly in the direction of the beach. When he arrived, he was exhausted and stepped over the hidden rope like a finish line of a long race. When the adults saw the giant coming close behind, they pulled on the rope and tripped him to the ground! It was then that they took their chance with every weapon they had at hand to cut and beat the horrible creature to death. Finally, the giants head was taken clean off and the locals danced and cheered around it. But their celebrations were short lived... "I'm coming to eat you..." they heard a voice say. Panicked, they began chopping the giant body into smaller pieces. Satisfied that he was definately now dead, they danced and cheered again - until the voice appeared once more: "I'm coming to eat you..." it said. Confused and afriad, there was only once solution to end this madness - burn the body! And they did. It took them the whole night, but by the morning all that was left of the giant was ash and finally the tired locals could have their party at last. They looked the pile of burned out embers, proud of their accomplishment. But then the mound began to move... Each piece of ash grew wings and began to fly, swarming over the poor people of Burra who now run for dear life.
As ash flies grew stronger and chased them away,
there's no doubt in their minds what they heard that day.
Their hearts were pacing, faces iching and sore,
"I'm coming to eat you, forever more".
The giant's island is still present today along with some of the sheep that was spared following his death. The midgees can also be found far and wide throughout Scotland....
To view a map and photos of this location:
NAME: The dragon in the woods
LOCATION: Voxter
CREATURE: Dragon/fairies
STORY: The woods up at Voxter is a mysterious place full of small dark places which are perfet for hiding in. There's no doubt about it, the place is filled with magic and at one point in Shetland's long history it was home to a dragon - a small one, only the size of a Shetland pony.
Only a short distance away, there lived a family with a young boy named Joe. The boy was warned many times never to go near the woods where mystical creatures were known to reside however, curiosity one day got the better of him and he found himself lost in amonst the dark dense trees. But he was alone.. Out of the shadows, glowed two large yellow eyes.
"Who are you?" it growled deeply.
Joe explained that he had longed to know more about the woods and the trees and that he had meant no harm by coming. With this, the unknown voice stepped out of the darkness and revealed himself - a small beautiful dragon with small jewels covering his scaled body. The creature looked pleased to see a young mind interested in nature and he agreed to teach the boy about the trees. From then on, the boy visited the the woods every day - he learned the names of the trees, the locations of fairy homes and most importantly how to listen to the woods.
However, a year later Joe returned as usual to find that the dragon had gone but in his place was a box filled with some familiar magic gems... he picked one up and found that when he concentrated on it, he could hear the noises of the woods a lot more clearly.
I heard this story from a wizard who visits Voxter every now and again. At first I didnt believe him, but then he produced to me a box with some beautiful gems in it - the very same ones which came from the dragon's back. Right enough, when you squeezed one tight and concentrated on it, then you could head the noises of the woods more clearly. It takes practice though to use them properly and you need to work on it every day.
To view a map and photos of this location:
NAME: The Windhouse ("da windy hoose")
LOCATION: Yell
CREATURE: Ghosts
STORY: The Windhouse in Yell is said to be the most haunted house in Brittain and with so many weird and creepy stories related to it, it's no wonder! The original stone structure was actually built farther up the hill in 1707 and said to be inhabited at the time by a vicious crowd of men known for cheating, beating and hangings. Rhomor has it that the plot was also the site of a Celtic burial ground and that this may have been the reason for demonlishing the old place to re-build what you see today. Nevertheless, the stones were moved down the hill and the new Windhouse was created in 1880.
One of the house's most well known stories relates to a trow which used to visit every christmas eve. Now, trows are usually small, human like things with sharp claws however, this one is said to be a huge, shadowy monster type thing. Those who did not heed warning over the house's grousome past and flee before christmas eve night would be sure to perish at the hand of this ghoul. Upon one stormy chrismas eve (around the mid 1800s), a sodden shipwreked sailor made his way up to the house in need of refuge. There he found the resident family packing and ready to leave for the night. They advised the sailor to join them at a friend's house, but he thought the superstician to be nonscence and instead stayed where he was. Upon the night, the sailor was awoken by a terrible low groan which shook the walls of the house. Stood before him was a large creature with a deathly stare upon his pale rotten face, containing sharp yellow teeth and blood red eyes. Fortunately for the sailor, he happened to have his trusty iron axe by his side (NOTE: trows cant touch iron, it burns them! Hence why many old Shetland houses have iron locks)! The creature (whatever it was) was chased outside and slain, leaving nothing but a shapeless mass lying on the ground. When the family returned the next day, they were delighted to see the sailor still alive. He took the family to the spot where the creature's body had fallen and they noticed that the moss in this area had turned bright green. Some locals today can still point out this very spot!
A few years on in 1887, workmen were doing repairs to the old house when they found a 6ft body burried in a shallow grave at the back of the house. He had been laid there with his arms placed across his chest and was not in any kind of coffin - suggesting that it was the result of a murder. The strange thing is, there are no records of anyone going missing around the time... So who was he? Some locals believe it to be someone who disappeared at a workmen's party. It is thought that these are the remains acociated with a tall dark ghostly figure wearing a top hat which apears aroudnt the ruins of the house.
Another of the ghosts is a woman in silk who drifts through the walls. During another renovation project in which the floorboards of the house was being lifted, the skelleton of a woman was found. She was apparnelty a maid who unfortunately slipped and broke her neck falling down the stairs. The two are said to be linked.
The skeleton of a child was also found in the walls of the house but there is not much information on this. However. people have said to have seen the ghost of a "little servant girl" mount invisable stairs upon visiting the site.
The final ghost (our favourite one!) is a little dog which roams the perimiter of the site!
There is no doubt in my mind that there is something spooky going on around these grounds... You dont get a particularly good feeling walking around the area. You can actually stay at the Windhouse's gate house near the road. But personally, you couldnt pay me a million pounds to be there for the night! Too creepy, no thank you! If however you fancy it, then the details are here:
http://www.camping-bods.co.uk/Windhouse-Lodge-g.asp
If you want to know more about the house then you can check out a great blog about it here:
http://www.ghostweather.com/essays/windhouse.html
And heres a Shetland news article:
http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10230-yell-haunted-house-back-on-the-market
To view a map and photos of this location:
CLICK HERE!
NAME: Geirhilda's Grave
LOCATION: Girlsta
CREATURE: Viking Princess
STORY: In the middle of a loch, lies the grave of a viking princess and her treasure. The name "Girlsta" comes from the old norse "Geirhildastadr" - meaning "the place of Geirhilda" - and Geirhilda was the daughter of Floki Vilgurdarsson also known as "Floki of the Ravens".
Sometime around the year 870, he and his viking crew were enroute from Norway when they stopped off in Shetland for supplies. Floki didnt dare take his daughter out in amongst the strange Shetland people so left her safe at their base camp while he and his men went exploring. On their travels, they came across a nest with three young ravens in it which would make the perfect addition to their ship. Floki stuffed them in a bag, paying no attention to the distressed onlooking mother.
Now, for those of you who dont know, Ravens are sacrid birds in scandinavia. The Norse God Odin himself had two named Huginn and Muninn who were his personal messengers. They are never to be disturbed and certainly not stolen from their mother and Floki knew this - but chose not to pay attention to legend.
When he and his men returned, Geirhilda was nowhere to be seen and Floki began to panic. He travelled over the hill they had been residing on and found himself staring at the frozen loch on the other side. For there was a familiar object lying on the ice - a red cloak, small, child sized and undoubtabley hers. And on this piece of cold damp clothing, there sat a mother Raven with her black beedy eyes staring back at him. Floki's heart shattered - he knew the Raven had had her revenge.
The princess was indeed drowned and when her body was recovered they burried her on the small island in the middle of the loch. She is said to have been burried with a large amount of treasure (as was viking tratition - women were provided with their jewellery and often with tools for household activities in the afterlife). The grave is gaurded by the local birds who, in the nesting season, will be more than likely to attack you if you manage to get anywhere near them!
Floki carried on with his men and the three ravens who had cost him his daughter. Part the way through his journey, he released one of the birds and watched as it circled the mast of their ship several times before flying back the way they had come. A few days later and several miles further north in the middle of the unknown waters, he released the second raven who followed the same pattern - flying upwards, circling and turnng back to the way they had come before. However, when the third raven was released, it chose a different route and instead flew forward. Floki knew that ravens were land birds and hence, they would always choose the shortest route back to grassier grounds. The bird was followed and true to his predictions, Floki discovered land - now known as Iceland.
To view a map and photos of this location:
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NAME: The selkies of Eshaness
LOCATION: Eshaness
CREATURE: Selkies (seal folk)
STORY: Selkies are effectively seals who can shed their skin on land to reveal what is normally a very attrative looking human underneath. They have to make sure that the skin is well hidden though, becuase if it is discovered by a local it will soon be stolen. If you destroy or lock a selkie skin away, the creature can no longer resturn to the ocean - its home and the place it loves most. There has been many lonely fishermen who have fallen in love with a selkie woman and successfully managed to lock away her seal skin. They make great wives and mothers, but will forever long for the sea and give no hesitation at the prospect of going back to it should her skin be found again. You will notice selkie women staring off into the sea (this is a good indication of one of them). Often, it is their unknowning human children who find their skin, then watch their mother swim away soon after. The selkie never returns to their husband, but can sometimes be seen playing with her children if they come to the beach. The male selkies can be a little more devious however... They love women with golden coluored hair as they use it to weave the walls of their palaces under the sea. Many women have drowned after being allured into the deep waters by these creatures. Selkies were common folk in Eshaness and it is here that our story with them begins...
On the beautiful and wild cliffs edge of Eshaness lived a man, his wife and young daughter who spent their days looking after and maintaing the lighthouse they lived in. It was a great life, but a lonely one for a young lady who longed for companionship. Emily would often find herself day dreamig by a window ledge of a stong and handsome man who would sweep her off her feet - and take her away from the course windy home she'd come to know so well. Her father had other plans however, and planned to see his only daughter betrothed to a wealthy family with a scroney, rat like man for a son. Upon hearing the news of this proposed wedding, Emily stormed out of the house angered and upset that she should not have a say in such an important aspect of her life. Her life would be set, money no obligation, but her heart would be torn. She hated that poor excuse for a man - he was weak and cowardly. Emily soon found herself on Braewick beach and sobbed into the sea. Seven tears hit the surface of the water... When she'd calmed down and finally turned to leave, a large hand grabbed her arm from out of nowhere. She turned to find a tall, dark, muscular man stood behind her - his grib powerful but soft on her clenched bicep. "Why do such beautiful eyes have tears of sorrow fill them?" he spoke. Emily smiled, embarrased, and explained her difficult situation. The stranger had a solution for her... He was a fisherman, due to sail back to his cozy home in 7 days time. If she desired, she could sail away with him on the seventh day and be forever by his side as his wife. Emily felt excited. the proposal both romantic and wild. This man was so hypnotically seductive, she simply couldnt say no to him. The only catch was that their relationsip had to be secret. They could meet on the beach every day, but nobody could know of this arrangement nor that she planned to leave everyone for good. Emily agreed and the arrangement went as planned - she sneaked away from the lighthouse, rode her pony down to the beach where she met with her lover for a few hours before retuning home. Her parents only enquired about her absence once, to which she replied that she'd changed her mind about marrying the wealthy boy and was merely enjoying her final days as a single woman lapping up the freedom and scenery around her. She did seem a lot happier now after all, and they were delighted for her. On the late evening of the seventh day, Emily set off for the last time. She turned to look at the shining beam of the lighthouse and felt sorrow suddenly fill her heart. The elated emotions she'd felt before had somehow created a thick mist in her mind which had drawn away from the reality of leaving her home and loved ones forever. Of course, those ill feelings soon drained away at the sight of her man standing on the beach waiting for her again. He had with him a small, shoddy looking boat with a wooden chest in it. Emily felt as though she was in a daze as she sat down aboard the small vessel and they slowly drifted silently out towards the gloomy, unknowing waters. "What is in the chest?" she finally asked. The stranger seemed to grow darker and an unpleasent grin grew upon his face. "You'll see..." he replied. It wasnt long before the water was deep benieth them. It was calm and the moodlight seemed to make Emily's golden hair glow and sparkle - making the strangers eyes grow wide and hungry. Suddenly, the creaky boards of the boat gave way and water began to pour in. Emily's heart began to panic, but she was paralized to the spot, her mind still in some kind of magical trance. As the icey cold water began to rise up her leg, she watched as the stranger calmly reached inside his chest - but this calm was short lived. The stranger began to panic, frantically looking in and around the chest. It was only then after that he turned his gaze to a burning light which had appeared on the beach - and dread grew over his pale face. An odd smell of burning blubber and fish drifted over towards the boat. The creature screemed and Emily realised the mistake she'd made all too late as her body gently decended into the freezing darkness. The creature made no attempt to swim back to shore - his skin was destroyed and he would rather die than live a life on the land. The last thing Emily saw was the sillhoutte of a tall man amonst the warm blaze which radiated from the shore. She was never seen alive again.
Emily's body was found a few days later - but her golden hair had been torn away. The grieving family swore revenge on the selkies and the body of the stranger was never found.
To view a map and photos of this location:
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NAME: Trowie Knowe
LOCATION: Beorgs of Housetter (Northmavine)
CREATURE: Trow
STORY: Here lies the entrance to an actual trow home! Trowie knowes are filled with extravigent jewelery - the walls lavished in silver and gold dazzeling in a magical glow which keeps the hole alight. Trows only engorge on the finest food and drink and their parties are said to be... spellbinding. There are many stories regarding trowie knowes in Shetland, but mainly they revolve around fiddle players who have been invited in by a friendly looking trow to play for some sort of celebration they are having. They will enter the tunnel and be rescued by a friend who has told them they'd been gone for months - even though it had only been an hour or so in the knowe. Time isnt the only problem with the trow holes. You may enter one in Northmavine, but exit at another in Sumburgh! There's no telling sometimes. My advice? Approach their home with caution and NEVER visit at night when they come out to do mischief!
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NAME: Gletna kirk
LOCATION: Uyeasound, Unst
CREATURE: Trows
STORY: Have you ever seen Gletna kirk? No? Well, thats becuase it was never built... When the roman catholic priests eventually made their way to Shetland, they thought the locals to be foolish still believeing in old supersticion - specifically regarding trows and their homes. To try and teach Shetland folk a lesson, the catholic people destroyed the site of a Trowie Knowe and began to build a church in its place. But, each night, the work that had been done throughout the day was ruined. After several days of this happpening the priest in Unst, angered at the prospect of a local playing a dirty and costly trick, decided to stand watch over the area. There was certinaly no Shetland folk willing to take up the challenge! The next day when the builders returned to their futile venture once more, they found no sign of the priest. A search party was finally established and his body eventually found lying stone dead amongst the pebbles in a spring below the site. Apparently he had been dragged there... Work around the area ceased and the kirk left as no more than pebbles marking where it should have been. Needless to say, trows do not take their homes being destroyed lightly!
It is also said that the water where the priest was dragged into is fillled with majic healing powers now. Drop three coins into it and be cured of your illness.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2268217
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NAME: Trow hoose replica
LOCATION: Lerwick
CREATURE: Trows
STORY: Too scared to go anywhere near a real trowie knowe, but still in terested in them? Then the Shetland museum has the solution for you! They have created a replica for you and your family to go and explore - without a real trow in sight! Hooray, your socks are safe!
Read more about the project here:
http://www.shetland-museum.org.uk/news/2007/feb2007_trowieRoom.html
NAME: The Blacksmith and the Njuggel
LOCATION: Quarff
CREATURE: Njuggel (water horse)
STORY: For those of you who dont know what a Njuggel is, they are beutiful creatures who live in lochs and resemble the appearence of a horse. Their coats are never dry and some have green hooves close to the colour of seaweed. As lovely as these creatures are to look at, they are never to be trusted and having one around a community can be a dangerous prospect (especially if there are children). Njuggels find fun in intising humans to hop on their back for a ride. But anyone foolish enough to take them up on the offer will soon find that the creature as no intension of taking them anywhere they want to go. And if the person is lucky enough to somehow make it home, they'll find that their clothes will never dry and forever have an odd smell seeped into them. Njuggels have a particular liking for children and the creatures use their long lovely tails to catch the eyes of the unknowing and inocent. If a child touches a Njuggel they are doomed to death - dragged into the loch never to be seen again.
One Njuggel from Brindister Loch was particularly successful at this game - so much so, that nearly all the children from the Quarff were lost. But one little girl, the daughter of a tall and strong blacksmith, knew better than to play with a waterhorse and this angered him.. One day, the creature found that his patience had run out and he galloped to the blacksmith's house to confront him. The Njuggel demanded that he give up his daughter or otherwise be killed. The blacksmith refused, telling the horse that his daughter was all he had after loosing his wife. But the creature was not sympathetic... Insead he told the man that he had 24 hours to change his mind, otherwise he would die and have his daughter captured anyway! The Niuggel stomped away, leaving the blacksmith to conjure a plan...
The next day the Njuggel returned as promised and demanded the daughter once more. He reared up and stomped his hooves to the ground so hard that it shook the house - showing off the creature's power and that he meant business!
"The next time, these hooves shall be on your head!", the Njuggel snorted.
But the blacksmith wasnt scared and refued once more. Enraged, the creature reared upwards again, but soon found himself being pushed backwards by the blacksmith. He on his wet back and got trapped between an anvil and a workbench. The daughter then appeared and sat on his head - and for the first time in the creatures wiked life, he found he was helpless. The blacksmith was quick to put his plan into place, fastening beautifully made iron shoes onto the horse's feet. Only after the job had been completed was the creature released. He was a sorry sight, now shaking and looking shamed, for he knew that iron would take his powers away and weigh him down to drown should he ever return to the loch. The children of Quarff were saved and the Njuggel never bothered a soul again.
The story of the blacksmith and the Njuggel is thought to be the reason why horse shoes are lucky!
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