The veil is thinning and soon Samhain, the scariest night of the year, will be upon us. But what is it that makes this night, the 31st of October, just so spooky? In this episode Jenny explores the ancient Celtic roots of Samhain, traditional protective rituals, divination games, and tells the tale of a lass who decided to peek behind the veil to find out who her future husband would be.

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What happens when death is not final? In Scottish folklore people returning from the dead is not only rare, but also, as we find out in this episode, absolutely terrifying.

The three tales Jenny tells make up a spooky sandwich of scary stories: the first, ‘A Dead Wife Among the Fairies’ comes from North Ronaldsay on Orkney, the second,

‘The Water or Life’ comes from the shores of Loch Fyne, and the third,

‘Wizard Rising After Death’ comes from the remote hills of Ross-shire.

But beware, these tales are not for the faint of heart, so listen at your own peril!

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In Scotland, to see your doppelganger is not good news. First off, it probably means you have the second sight, or, as the Gaelic puts it, dà shealladh, ‘the two sights’, which is no easy burden to bear. Secondly, it means you’re most likely gonna die soon.

In Scottish folklore, these uncanny supernatural doubles are called fetches, or taibhse, and eerie tales that swirl around their appearances can be found all over the country. In this episode, Jenny tells of fetches in Skye, Lewis, and Galloway, as well as the Aberdeenshire tale 'Thrummy Cap: A Legend of the Castle of Fiddes.'

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Support Jenny as she makes the show by joining the Patreon

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