Land of

the Unicorn

mystic & whimsical like the green, ​rolling landscape, the unicorn is ​Scotland’s national animal

The lion an the unicorn

Fechtin for the croon;

Up jumped the wee dog,

An knocked them baith doon.

Some gat white breid,

An some gat broon;

But the lion beat the unicorn,

Roon about the toun.

-Anon.

The night is warm and we walk down the ​winding track, under a green-lit tunnel of ​trees. I have one little hand

in each of mine and you both stare up at the ​arching evening. The fantastical birds swoop ​down, flashing their magical

plumage, outstretching wings of scarlet, ​azure, gold and green. They are our ​guardians.They will watch over two

girls and a woman

making their way to the small, battered

seat with their unicorn, led by its silken ​halter which, tonight, is mauve,

the colour of storms when the worst has ​passed and the light is reasserting itself.

We stop by the bench and I wipe rainwater

from the slats. You untie our gentle ​companion. Don't worry, you tell me. She ​never strays very far and she always

comes back to us.

-Tracey Herd, The Unicorn Seat

Glens & Friends

for the love of dogs

scottish rose

But still I must remember how the sound

Of waters echoed in my ear all night,

How fitfully I slumbered, walked, and found

The singing burns, the cataracts, the might

Of tumults drunken with the melting snow,

Filling the starry darkness with their joy;

And heard the singing stars, that paused to know

What should was that? what rapture, ‘Spring, ahoy!”

-Nan Shepherd, Spring

Tea time

My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky;

It’s time to take the window to see Leerie going by;

For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,

With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.

Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,

And my papa’s a banker and as rich as he can be;

But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I’m to do,

Oh Leerie, I’ll go round at night and light the lamps with you!

For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,

And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;

And O! before you hurry by with ladder and with light,

O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him tonight!

-Robert Louis Stevenson, The Lamplighter

not all boat ​rides were ​created equal

magical easdale

tìoraidh an-​dràsta, Alba