Celtic Tales on the Map

Journey with us to the Celtic lands – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany – to discover classic stories of myth, magic and mischief in Celtic Folk and Fairy Tales by Lari Don and Elise Carmichael.

Over time, there have been several possible meanings for the word ‘Celtic’. In this book, Celtic refers to lands on the western coastal edge of Europe where languages that are described as Celtic are now, or recently have been, spoken. These Celtic languages – Irish and Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Manx, Cornish and Breton – are connected to rich and ancient storytelling traditions.

And, importantly, they are also linked by the sea, which in the past was often an easier way to travel than by land – for stories as well as people! And so there are specific magical images, beings, monsters and lore – particularly shapeshifters, strong women, water creatures and human-sized fairies – which tend to turn up, similar but with intriguing differences, in many of these Celtic lands.

A great example is the story of the waterhorse, which appears in tales from Scotland (kelpie), Ireland (each-uisce), Wales (ceffyl dŵr) and the Isle of Man (glashtin). Watch Lari tell her version of the Manx glashtin story on our YouTube channel!

Click on a location on the map below to discover a sneak peek at a story linked to that place – with gorgeous, dramatic illustrations by Elise Carmichael.

Celtic Folk and Fairy Tales

Meet shapeshifting selkies, duelling dragons, a terrifying waterhorse, a cheeky changeling, a cunning fairy and a bloodthirsty giant…

In this sumptuously illustrated new collection, award-winning Scottish author and storyteller Lari Don retells classic tales of myth, magic and mischief.

Elise Carmichael’s exciting and luminous illustrations bring the rich shared folklore of the Celtic lands – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany – to life in an outstanding collection that will enchant younger and older readers alike.

Also by Lari Don: