Tessera

The Adder’s Den

@theaddersden.bsky.social

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish history, archaeology, folklore & more~ 🐍 📚 Blog: https://theaddersden.wordpress.com/blog/ ✨ FB page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1An214KKj1/?mibextid=wwXIfr #FolkloreAgainstFascism

177 Posts191 Follower 282 Folgt

Libraries South Lanarkshire @librariessl.bsky.social · 4d ago

On Wednesday 14th October, Carluke Library will be doing some spooky ghost crafts and creating glitter spiderwebs at 11am 👻 🕸️ For children over four. Book your space at southlanarkshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spyd...

Adopt a ghost. Carluke Library. Wednesday the fourteenth of October. Eleven to Twelve. Free. Booking required. Come along to Carluke Library and take part in some spooky crafts. Adopt a ghost and create your own glitter web artwork.

Scottish Refugee Council @scotrefugeecouncil.bsky.social · last wk.

Got your tickets yet? There is now only half the tickets left! Come and see an incredible line-up give their support to people seeking refugee protection. Book now for a great night out in Glee Club Glasgow on Sunday 11 October. www.glee.co.uk/performer/no...

Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · last wk.

On The Fife Coastal Path, painting by Deborah Phillips, Scottish artist.

Bloody Scotland @bloodyscotland.bsky.social · 2w ago

Only a few days to go and we are very much looking forward to welcoming actress and comedian Andi Osho to Stirling for 'The Housing Crisis is Murder': bloodyscotland.com/event/the-ho...

Books,Craic,Cake @bookscraiccake.bsky.social · 2w ago

#Cemtember Deskford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Places of peace. 📷 My own (keep forgetting to write that)

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2w ago

MacWordle 1647 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 www.macwordle.co.uk/

MacWordle

Web site created using create-react-app

macwordle.co.uk

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2w ago

In the Scottish sense too lol 😅 #scotland #ireland #fairies #folklore #folktraditions #fantasy #fairyring #witch #pagan #funny #humour

A comic strip where a man makes fun of being scared of “sparkly fairies” but then finds out the hard -& fatal way - that Irish fairies are not to be messed with

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3w ago

💕🪢 Handfasting* is a lovely ceremony popular to include in many weddings in Scotland today (including Christian, Neopagan & Humanist) as well as throughout the diaspora. Is it really an ancient, Celtic custom though? Read on: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2021/09/04/h... 📸 Pexels 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #witchsky #pagan 🗃️

A simple, light brown rope is loosely knotted to form the shape of a heart and sitting on top of a wooden bench, maybe in a park

Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · last mo.

Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766–1845) was born #OTD, 16 Aug. Oliphant wrote over 100 popular songs to traditional Scottish tunes. Although she shunned publicity & never acknowledged her authorship, along with Robert Burns she is one of the most significant figures in Scottish #folksong #C18 1/3

Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne
“The Laird o’ Cockpen”

The Laird o’ Cockpen, he’s proud an’ he’s great,
His mind is ta’en up wi’ the things o’ the State;
He wanted a wife, his braw house to keep,
But favour wi’ wooin’ was fashious to seek.

Down by the dyke-side a lady did dwell,
At his table head he thocht she’d look well,
M’Leish’s ae dochter o’ Clavers-ha’ Lea,
A penniless lass wi’ a lang pedigree.

His wig was weel pouther’d and as gude as new,
His waistcoat was white, his coat it was blue;
He put on a ring, a sword, and cock’d hat,
And wha could refuse the Laird wi’ a’ that?

He took the grey mare, and rade cannily,
And rapp’d at the yett o’ Clavers-ha’ Lea;
‘Gae tell Mistress Jean to come speedily ben, –
She’s wanted to speak to the Laird o’ Cockpen.’

Mistress Jean she was makin’ the elderflower wine;
‘An’ what brings the Laird at sic a like time?’
She put aff her apron, and on her silk goun,
Her mutch wi’ red ribbons, and gaed awa’ doun.

An’ when she cam’ ben, he bowed fu’ low,
An’ what was his errand he soon let her know;
Amazed was the Laird when the lady said ‘Na’,
And wi’ a laigh curtsie she turned awa’.

Dumfounder’d was he, nae sigh did he gie,
He mounted his mare – he rade cannily;
An’ aften he thought, as he gaed through the glen,
She’s daft to refuse the laird o’ Cockpen.

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · last mo.

www.northern-times.co.uk/news/very-ex... #scotland #archaeology #funeraryarchaeology #death #history 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏺🗃️

‘Very exciting’: Archaeologists thrilled by major prehistoric find near Dornoch

Evelix quarry extension unearths prehistoric pit containing human skeleton.

northern-times.co.uk

Gerry Flynn @gerryflynn.bsky.social · last mo.

4/5 The Tories have lurched so far to the right that Starmer saw an opportunity. He filled the gap left. Scottish democratic culture has diverged so far from Englands that I doubt it will ever be reconciled. We abhor authoritarian politics, & that is what Labour has eagerly embraced. Cont.

Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · last mo.

“I usually try to write in Gaelic, unless a poem needs a particular turn of phrase in English… I will often work back and forth between both languages, because for me the translation provides a new lens to see the poem with” —Beth Frieden speaks to THE SKINNY www.theskinny.co.uk/books/featur...

Beth Frieden on Gaelic poetry and new pamphlet Acair san Talamh: The Skinny

We chat with Beth Frieden, a Glasgow-based poet and New Scottish Writers Award winner for Gaelic Poetry in 2021, about her debut pamphlet, Acair san Talamh, ahead of her appearance at Govanhill Book F...

theskinny.co.uk

This Is My Glasgow @thisismyglasgow.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Assembly by Michael Visocchi. Installed on Saint Rollox Church in the Sighthill area of Glasgow in 2021, it consists of 77 crosses in 33 different Christian styles. Cont./ #glasgow #sighthill #church #publicart #cross

Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 2mo ago

#OtD 11 Aug 1964 18-year-old Scottish anarchist Stuart Christie was arrested in Madrid, Spain with explosives to assassinate dictator Franco. He was wearing a kilt, which confused the Argentinian press, who described him as "a Scottish transvestite" stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8273...

Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · 2mo ago

Duin’ àrd, tana ’s fiasag bheag air, ’s locair ’na làimh… —“Cisteachan-Laighe” (“Coffins”) from Creachadh na Clarsaich / Plundering the Harp (Macdonald, 1982) by Ruaraidh MacThòmais (Derick Thomson, 1921–2012) – born #OTD, 5 Aug. A 🎂 🧵 #poetry 1/7 www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/cisteac...

Cisteachan-Laighe
Ruaraidh MacThòmais

Duin’ àrd, tana
’s fiasag bheag air,
’s locair ’na làimh:
gach uair theid mi seachad
air bùth-shaoirsneachd sa’ bhaile,
’s a thig gu mo chuinnlean fàileadh na min-sàibh,
thig gu mo chuimhne cuimhne an àit ud,
le na cisteachan-laighe,
na h-ùird ’s na tairgean,
na saibh ’s na sgeilbean,
is mo sheanair crom,
is sliseag bho shliseag ga locradh
bhon bhòrd thana lom.

Mus robh fhios agam dè bh’ ann bàs;
beachd, bloigh fios, boillsgeadh
den dorchadas, fathann de’n t-sàmhchair.
’S nuair a sheas mi aig uaigh,
là fuar Earraich, cha dainig smuain
thugam air na cisteachan-laighe
a rinn esan do chàch:
’sann a bha mi ’g iarraidh dhachaigh,
far am biodh còmhradh, is tea, is blàths.

Is anns an sgoil eile cuideachd,
san robh saoir na h-inntinn a’ locradh,
cha tug mi ’n aire do na cisteachan-laighe,
ged a bha iad ’nan suidhe mun cuairt orm;
cha do dh’ aithnich mi ’m brèid Beurla,
an liomh Gallda bha dol air an fhiodh,
cha do leugh mi na facail air a’ phràis,
cha do thuig mi gu robh mo chinneadh a’ dol bàs.
Gus an dainig gaoth fhuar an Earraich-sa
a locradh a’ chridhe;
gus na dh’ fhairich mi na tairgean a’ dol tromham,
’s cha shlànaich tea no còmhradh an cràdh.

Coffins
Derick Thomson

A tall thin man
with a short beard,
and a plane in his hand:
whenever I pass
a joiner’s shop in the city,
and the scent of sawdust comes to my nostrils,
memories return of that place,
with the coffins,
the hammers and nails,
saws and chisels,
and my grandfather, bent,
planing shavings
from a thin, bare plank.

Before I knew what death was;
or had any notion, a glimmering
of the darkness, a whisper of the stillness.
And when I stood at his grave,
on a cold Spring day, not a thought
came to me of the coffins
he made for others:
I merely wanted home
where there would be talk, and tea, and warmth.

And in the other school also,
where the joiners of the mind were planing,
I never noticed the coffins,
though they were sitting all round me;
I did not recognise the English braid,
the Lowland varnish being applied to the wood,
I did not read the words on the brass,
I did not understand that my race was dying.
Until the cold wind of this Spring came
to plane the heart;
until I felt the nails piercing me,
and neither tea nor talk will heal the pain.

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

📸 Photo of new monument to the successful land struggles in the Coigach peninsula, often led by local women, of the 1850s taken from the Coigach Heritage website: coigach-heritage.org/lorg-na-coig... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🗃️🏺 #womenshistory #highlandclearances #landrights #scottishgaelic

A monument featuring a close ring of standing stones of varying heights is enclosed by low, circular stone walls. It stands against a coastal backdrop with small, hilly islands.

Dave Wilkinson @davewilk64.bsky.social · last yr.

Great hike to Boreraig on Skye. Golden Eagle and Snipe spotted but the best sighting was this Adder basking on the path on the way back. #ukwildlife #naturephotography #adder

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

😱 Think this is the kind of story we need to spread around to scare people off from damaging the Clava Cairns - leave them as you found them please: "But for one Belgian tourist, his visit to Clava Cairns proved too powerful after claiming a stone he took from the site had cursed his family… 🧵 1/3

A large cairn surrounded by a stone corner and autumn trees under a clear blue sky. (Location: The Clava Cairns in Scotland)

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We need to bring back the curse rumours I think…😈 But seriously, don’t do this - people can believe what they like, but damaging our ancient monuments &/or our environment is not on 🤦🏻‍♀️ www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/inve... #pagan #witch #witchsky #outlander 🏺🗃️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #folkmagic #shrine #spiritual

Inverness tour guide hits out over Clava Cairns behaviour

Man-made shrines have appeared at Clava Cairns during the busy tourist season.

pressandjournal.co.uk

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🔥 Happy Lùnastal &/or Lammas Eve to those celebrating 🌾 🌾 Read about customs involving Corn Dollies at Lammas & Lughnasadh/Lùnastal, plus their linguistic connections: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2022/08/05/c... 🐍 (📸 Public Domain via Wiki Commons - “Claidheach harvest corn dolly” by Renata) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🗃️🏺

A Scottish Gaelic Style Harvest Corn Dolly made in a triangular shape with wheat bunched at the top & white lace plus white scalloped Broderie fabric trim on the bottom.

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🌎 World Brain Day 2026 – Epilepsy Folk Beliefs 🧠 Read about it here: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2026/07/22/%... (📸 "Eigg, Grulin Uachdrach, Township. View of well, possibly St. Catherine's Well.” - Crown Copyright: HES. From Trove, the replacement site for Canmore 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿) #scotland #folklore 🗃️ 🏺

The remains for what seems to have been an old, stone well on the Scottish island of Eigg, with moorland and stoney hills/cliffs in the background

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🗓 Yesterday, 18th July, was the Feast Day of Glasgow’s St Thenue/Enoch: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2022/07/18/s... 🐟 📸 Photo Credit: Glasgow City Council - artist Smug’s latest stunning mural depicting St Thenue/Enoch in her later years: www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/1531... 💜 #scotland #folklore🗃️

Large mural depicting a middle-aged white woman with thick, dark wavy hair wearing a green dress, a cloak closed with a brooch and a pendant, which we class with her hands. She is framed by purple fox gloves.

Lost Glasgow @lostglasgow.bsky.social · 2mo ago

#OTD in 1936 - the start of the Spanish Civil War. The RMT monument on the Broomielaw to the brave merchant sailors who ran the fascist blockade to support the Republican cause. Proud to count my maternal grandfather, a chief engineer, as one of those heroes. Nae pasaran!

Sophie Molly @sophiemolly.co.uk · 3mo ago

When Amnesty International is calling you an anti-rights organisation, a rational minded person would realise that they have been part of a hate cult instead of doubling down on that hate. The GC cult are seriously unwell and dangerous to themselves and others.

Mitchell And Webb: Are We The Baddies Sketch

ALT: Mitchell And Webb: Are We The Baddies Sketch

static.klipy.com

Gemma Clark 🧿🕯️@gemmaclark.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A few years ago the rapist if a then 13 year old also walked free. There’s a pattern www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a...

Teen rape victim speaks out after perpetrator avoids prison sentence under new law

Sean Hogg was instead ordered to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work

cosmopolitan.com

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🎶 Rounding off the past 7 days of Fairy-Themed posts with this one on the famous Scottish Borders Ballad of Tam Lin: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2021/10/30/t... 🐍 (📸 Image: drawing of Janet lying in wait to rescue Tam by Vernon Hill, Public Domain) #scotland #ScotsLanguage #folklore #folksong

Black and white drawing shows a cloaked woman in medieval clothing waiting at a crossroads as the Fairy Host approaches

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🦌🌫️ Today’s Fairy-Themed post features one of Scotland’s many Cailleach entities - Cailleach Beinn a’ Bhric - often described as being a Fairy: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2021/08/10/c... ⛰️🎶 #scotland #folklore #thecailleach (📸 Photo Credit: Ian Paterson / Welcome to Lochaber / CC BY-SA 2.0)

A road sign reads “Welcome to Lochaber” on a damp, cloudy day with trees & mountains in the background

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🧹 Following on from yesterday, today’s Fairy-Themed post is about Broonies/Brownie’s: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2023/09/23/%... 🧼 (📸 Photo is Public Domain Image from Wiki Commons: Illustration of a Brownie by Alice B Woodward) #scotland #folklore #scotslanguage #fairy #faerie #brownie

A colour illustration of a brownie at work sweeping the stone floor of a house while the occupants sleep

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3mo ago

💚 Today’s Fairy post is another highlighting the links between the Fairies and the Dead - Glaistig, Gruagach & Green Lady Folklore: theaddersden.wordpress.com/2021/10/17/g... 🥛 (📸 Photo of cattle grazing in Skye is mine) #scotland #folklore #fairy #faeries #death #folktale #ghost #history 🗃️

Cattle graze on brackeny hills on a cloudy day in Skye. Small waterfalls trickle down the hills and a Rowan tree with red berries is in the foreground.

The Adder’s Den @theaddersden.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🩸 Today’s Fairy-themed post is about a particular type of Ban-Sìthe - the Caoineachag - and her relationship with the Massacre of Glencoe ⬇️ theaddersden.wordpress.com/2026/02/16/%... (📸 Photo is mine, taken in Glencoe) #scotland #folklore #history #scottishfolklore #darkfolklore #fairy #banshee

2 mountains loom out of the clouds, with some scattered snow on top and a narrow waterfall snaking down between them.