Folklore traditions in danger of dying out, survey shows

● Dedicated map of myths and legends unveiled to spur interest

They are tales and legends which form the backbone of Scottish culture and heritage, but the nation’s rich folklore tradition is under threat.

A survey has revealed that nearly a quarter of people are unable to name even just one myth, while more than twothirds said they will not pass on stories to their children.

It shows that majority of people have not heard a traditional story in the past two years, putting at risk a compendium of narratives stretching back centuries.

The Folklore Society, a charitable body devoted to the study of all aspects of folklore, described the trend as “deeply saddening” and urged members of the public to keep old stories alive by sharing them with family members.

In response, it has compiled a dedicated folklore map of Britain, which includes a clutch of Scottish tales.

They include some wellknown legends, such as that of the Loch Ness monster, and the legend of how King Arthur used Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh as a vast throne.

Others, however, have largely fallen out of the public consciousness. They include the Laird’s Brownie in Dalswinton, Dumfries-shire, which tells of a kindly spirit which served a local laird, even helping the save the life of its master’s daughter by fetching the midwife in an emergency.

The society also highlighted

0 King Arthur is said to have used Arthur’s Seat as a throne the Borders legend of Thomas the Rhymer, who is reputed to have met a fairy queen in the Eildon Hills. After staying with her for what he thought was three days, he discovered he had been away for three years, during which he had acquired the gift of prophecy.

Jeremy Harte, a committee member of the Folklore Society, said: “Countries aren’t just made up of rocks and rivers. They’re also made up of the stories we tell each other, about the places we know. These tales give a special character to our homes, and poetry to our landscape.

“However, we’ve seen from this research that our rich folkloric tradition may be slipping through our fingers which is deeply saddening.”

The survey of 2,000 adults, commissioned by holiday firm Center Parcs, found on average, people can only name two legendary tales, although twothirds of respondents said they believe traditional stories, myths, and legends help develop children’s imaginations.