Scottish Fairy Belief: A History

Scottish Fairy Belief: A History examines how fairies were understood in Scotland from the 15th to the 19th century, drawing on historical records, witch trials, ballads and literature. The authors consider fairy belief as part of the wider worldview of earlier Scottish communities, rather than treating it as a separate category of folklore.

The book discusses recurring themes, fairy enchantments and the changing relationship between fairy tradition, Christianity and witchcraft. It traces attempts to portray fairies as demonic, alongside later efforts to defend or reinstate their reality, and includes substantial attention to figures and traditions such as Robert Kirk, Thomas Rhymer and the fairy world represented in Scottish literary culture.