As we enter this year’s changing of the seasons, we present a series of stories from our storytellers, Tales From The Hearth. Between now and 2022 Beltane night, they will be telling tales and poems and singing songs connected to different aspects of our fire festival, sharing them with you online.

2022 Beltane Storytelling Playlist

Our Origin Story

Tales From The Hearth was formed in 2020 when lockdown forced the Beltane Fire Festival to become an online event. We tell the traditional Celtic and European folktales that form the background of the traditions of Beltane and Samhuinn.

Now Beltane is back on Calton Hill, but we keep the stories alive online for those who are unable to attend the fire festivals in person.

We tell stories in both English and Gaelic languages.

This year, with the trans community under attack, we are particularly focusing on telling traditional stories which have LGBTQIA content. Reminding everyone that trans people and the rest of the LGBTQIA community have always been here and have always been part of the story:

• In the Norse tales “The Birth of Sleipnir” and “The Marriage of Thor” we have the non-binary Loki.
• Our traditional Gaelic story “The Piper and the Fae” hints at a same sex relationship.
• And from Romania we have “The Girl Who Was A Boy”, a trans story where a witch’s curse turns out to be just what was needed for a happy ending.

We also have items illustrating the seasonal change that occurs at Beltane: Winter Crone, The Sea Mither and A Spell of Beltane.

In other pieces we look at the isolation of lockdown (Chi Mi Na Morbhenna), the plight of refugees (Smeòrach Clann Dòmhnaill), the importance of having an escape plan if your employer stretches your job description (The Sprightly Tailor), and also eternal Scottish issues such as midges.”

Wherever you are in the world, please listen to our tales and embrace the sounds and characters of the new season with us.