A collection of essays from 1893 on Scottish water lore, gathering traditions attached to lochs, springs and holy wells. It discusses saints, water-spirits, offerings, pilgrimages and wishing-wells, showing how water shaped folk belief. Listeners interested in folklore and local custom will find a rich survey.
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Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).
Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
FOLKLORE OF SCOTTISH LOCHS AND SPRINGS. Original Title Page. FOLKLORE OF SCOTTISH LOCHS AND SPRINGS. BY
JAMES M. MACKINLAY, M.A.,
F.S.A.Scot.
GLASGOW: WILLIAM HODGE & Co.
1893.
PREFATORY NOTE.
No work giving a comprehensive account of Well-worship in Scotland has yet appeared. Mr. R. C. Hope’s recent volume, “Holy Wells: Their Legends and
Traditions,” discusses the subject in its relation to England. In the following pages an attempt has been made to illustrate the more outstanding facts associated with the cult north of the Tweed. Various holy wells are referred to by name; but the list makes no claim to be exhaustive.
J. M. M. 4 Westbourne Gardens, Glasgow, December, 1893. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. Worship of Water, 1 II. How Water became Holy, 24 III. Saints and Springs, 39 IV. More Saints and Springs, 56 V. Stone Blocks and Saints’ Springs, 72 VI. Healing and Holy Wells, 86 VII. Water-Cures, 108 VIII. Some Wonderful Wells, 128 IX. Witness of Water, 140 X. Water-Spirits, 155 XI. More Water-Spirits, 171 XII. Offerings at Lochs and Springs, 188 XIII. Weather and Wells, 213 XIV. Trees and Springs, 230 XV. Charm-Stones in and out of Water, 241 XVI. Pilgrimages to Wells, 263 XVII. Sun-Worship and Well-Worship, 280 XVIII. Wishing-Wells, 314 XIX. Meaning of Marvels, 324
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