In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, we hear from author of dark historical fiction Anna Mazzola about her book 'The Story Keeper'...

A dark tale of folklore and disappearances on the Isle of Skye.

Audrey Hart travels to Skye and to the mansion of a reclusive folklorist to collect the folk and fairy tales of the local people. It is 1857, the Highland Clearances have left devastation and poverty, and the crofters are suspicious and hostile, claiming they no longer know their stories.

Then Audrey discovers the body of a young girl washed up in the bay beneath Lanerly, and the crofters reveal that it is only a matter of weeks since another girl disappeared. They believe the girls are victims of the restless dead: spirits who take the form of birds

Anna discusses her research and the ways that she negotiates history and folklore to produce fiction based on historical fact and narrative.

This episode is closed with music from singer/songwriter Sharron Kraus.

To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast