Duncan Williamson (1928-2007) was a Scottish storyteller, singer and author. One of Scotland's Travelling People, Duncan spent sixty years journeying around the country and collecting stories, songs and oral history. Described as 'one of the world's best-known storytellers' (The Times) and 'Scotland's greatest contemporary storyteller' (The Guardian), Duncan's extraordinary legacy includes a library of recordings and books of folk tales. Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds is his most significant collection of stories for children. Linda Williamson is an American folklorist, musician and editor. Linda grew up in the Great Lakes region of America and moved to Scotland, where she received a PhD from Edinburgh University. During her studies Linda met and married Scottish storyteller Duncan Williamson, whom she worked with for many years while collecting his songs and stories. Under the auspices of the Traditional Arts and Culture for Scotland, Linda now engages with international audiences as a storyteller, ballad singer, and author. She currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds is a treasure trove of traditional Scottish folk and fairy tales as told by Duncan Williamson, one of Scotland's greatest storytellers. Young readers will explore a land of folklore and magic inhabited by helpful broonies, fickle fairies, golden birds and shining unicorns in captivating tales, full of colour, humour and life. These timeless stories have been passed down the generations through oral tradition and are now retold for today's children while carefully preserving Duncan's unique storytelling voice. One of Scotland's Travelling People, Duncan spent a lifetime journeying the country's highways and byways, collecting stories along the way. This beautifully presented treasury includes insight into Duncan's life and cultural heritage alongside a curated collection of his best-loved stories and classic tales. A selection of these stories has previously appeared in The Coming of the Unicorn and The Flight of the Golden Bird.