Jack's Strange Tales

Strange Tales of Scotland all deal with a particular aspect of Scottish mysteries. You'll learn of the ghost that appeared at the wedding of King Alexander II, and of monsters such as the Shellycoat and Water-horse that were thought to inhabit Scotland’s lochs...Finally, we have a look at the legend of the phantom armies of Scotland; soldiers who refuse to fade away even centuries after their wars have been fought, and their causes faded in history. Welcome to the Strange Tales of Scotland.

This small book looks at some of the strange things that make England unique, starting with the English language itself and looking at concepts such as sports, ghosts and the English love for eccentricity - like the sportsman who rode his horse naked. As well as strange people, the book looks at strange places. For example, there is the canal across Southern England that was dug to keep back Bonaparte’s hordes in the invasion that never took place. There is also the impressively masculine Cerne Abbas Giant, to which women once flocked when they wished to become pregnant.

Discover the strange legends, tales and history of Wales. Did the Welsh sail across the Atlantic in the 12th century? Was King Arthur Welsh? Included, are stories on ghosts - both real and fake - and the legend of King Arthur. Welsh animal lore, customs, monsters, and music are also examined. One of the strangest villages in the world gets a chapter to itself, as do witches, miners, and druids. The book is written in a personal, lighthearted style, with geographical references to help identify the places.

Get ready to experience the lore and lure of the sea with these myths, legends, and true stories. Centuries-old folklore and tales of haunted vessels. Sea monsters and ghosts. Cannibalism at sea and mysterious disappearances. Included also are tales of sailors ashore and the prostitutes and crimps that preyed on them. Find out what happened to stowaways, how they were treated, and about the myth that women were not welcome on ships.

In Ireland, truth, folklore, mythology, and legend are indistinguishably interwoven into a Celtic knot of strangeness. From fact to fiction and the peculiar to the bizarre, unravel some of Ireland’s most curious lore: the Blarney Stone kissing ceremony, the giant behind the Giant’s Causeway, the escapades of Saint Patrick, and the myths of the 1690 battle of the River Boyne, among many others.

More Strange Scotland is a collection of anecdotes, facts, folklore, and legends about the strangeness of that little nation on the western fringe of Europe. From fairies to witches and the frightening water horses, Scotland has a host of legends. Add haunted castles, strange pub names, and devilish people to the mix, sprinkle with Aberlour spirits and the mists of Skye and then start listening to the audiobook. If ghostly bagpipers and unseen river monsters don’t scare you off, then you may revel in the stories from this most strange of all countries.