Hillfoots Tales is delighted to be part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2024 – Bridges Between.
Check our Events page for details.
Our souvenir brochure will be available soon.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us: hillfootstales@gmail.com
Our first storytelling session of September had as its themes “Autumn” and “Samhain”. Samhain is the Gaelic festival celebrating the end of harvest.
The evening was well attended with regular members sharing their tales.
We began with a warm-up exercise to get out imaginations working. We told anecdotes of our own memories of autumn past. Many a memory was shared of conkers, kicking in the leaves and playing outside “until the street lights come on”.
We heard the myth of Persephone in the Underworld, The Bees and the White Hare, The Witch’s Granddaughter, Bartimeus and the Woodcutter and The Truth About Autumn. We were also treated to a recital of a Ted Hughes poem, Leaves.
Yet again, all enjoyed an enjoyable and uplifting evening which lifted spirits and gave much food for thought.
Our next regular storytelling session will be held in our usual venue, the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry on Wednesday, 18th September, 7.30 – 9.30.
Join us for a selection of tales on the themes of “Autumn” and “Growing”. Come along to listen or perhaps tell your own tale!
Our first storytelling session in September will have the fitting theme of “Autumn”. 
A warm welcome awaits in our usual venue of the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, 7.30pm – 9.30pm.
Join us for tales about the season of mellow fruitfulness as the nights draw in.
Our regular twice monthly session in the cosy environs of the Woolpack, Tillicoultry, featured stories with an international theme.
Firstly, we listened to a tale from Russia, “Baba Yaga and the Very Good Girl”, in which the titular very good girl outwits her stepmother and her stepmother’s sister, the fearsome Baba Yaga, with the help of a little mouse.
Our second offering of the evening was a legend from the African Endebele tribe, “Why the Painted Dog Hunts”.
Next, we listened to a Japanese tale, “Taro the Fisherman” in which Taro helps a turtle who in turn invites him to her underwater realm. Taro has a wonderful time, but after awhile, he wants to return to his home… but what will await him there?
The forth tale was from South Africa, “Abiyoyo”. A young, mischievous and curious boy causes great distress to his neighbour when he uses something he is not supposed to, but later saves the day by his wit and cunning… using the self-same thing he is not supposed to use!
The last story we listened to was from Ancient Egyptian times, “The Girl With the Rose Red Sandals”. This is the oldest surviving written example of the Cinderella story, attributed to a Greek, Strabo, from around 1BCE.
Once again, an enjoyable and informative evening was had by all on a wet and windy Wednesday.
Our next storytelling session will be in our usual venue of the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, on Wednesday, 21st August 2024, 7.30 – 9.30.
Our theme for this evening is, “International Tales”.
So come along and join us to hear tales from other countries and cultures, and perhaps tell your own tale. Or just come and listen.
All are welcome!
Storytelling sessions for 2024 are held on the first and last Wednesday of each month (unless stated otherwise). We usually meet in The Woolpack, Tillicoultry, between 7.30pm and 9.30 pm.
Dates and themes for 2024 are as follows:
JANUARY
10th: New Beginnings
24th : Burns
FEBRUARY
7th: Love and Romance
21st: Spring
MARCH
6th: Changelings
20th: TBC
APRIL
3rd: The Wee Folk
17th: Trickster Tales
MAY
1st: May Day, The Green Man, Trees
15th: Children, Childhood
JUNE
5th: Summer Sunshine
19th: Castles
JULY
3rd: A Different Perspective
17th: The Senses
AUGUST
7th: Tilly Tales Event
21st: International theme
SEPTEMBER
4th: Samhain
18th: Farming; Growth
OCTOBER
2nd: Colours
16th: Wild Winter Weather
NOVEMBER
6th: Fright Night
20th: Witches
DECEMBER
Dates to be confirmed.
The theme for this session was “The Senses” and took place in our usual haunt, The Woolpack in Tillicoultry.
First of all, we listened to an original poem written by one of our long standing members, “A Walk in the Park”, in which the protagonist felt they were being followed… but were they?
Our second offering of the evening was “Pier Shonks and the Dragon”, a legend from 12th century
Hertfordshire during a time called The Anarchy. Pier was famed for defending the area where he and his neighbours lived from the warring factions of The Anarchy.
After that we listened to “New Territory”. In this story, a fisherman falls in love with a beautiful woman. They live together, she cooks him sumptuous feasts, but she often goes away for long spells of time. Eventually, the fisherman discovers that the woman turns in to a wolf and runs with the pack.
Next we heard another self-penned untitled poem about the cleverness of women.
Our fifth telling was “The Kilmarnock Ring”, a true story.
The penultimate tale of the evening was “Come Fly With Me”, another true story about the transformative power of music in a respite care home.
Last but not least, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” was told – but transplanted to our very own Clackmannanshire!
Another interesting and informative evening was enjoyed by all present. As our resident poet says: “It’s better than doing the ironing”!
On Wednesday, 3rd July, our fortnightly session had the theme of “A Different Perspective”. We also heard some tales about castles, as the previous session was cancelled.
First, we heard the story of The Myretoun Maid, as told from the perspective of her father. This is a very well known local story about a Tullibody woman called Martha who fell in love with the local priest but sadly their romance did not last as the priest cast her aside. You can still visit the maid’s grave in the old graveyard in Tullibody.
Next we listened to the tale of The Princess and the Pups, in which a baby princess is stolen away by a fearsome giant. Her father, the king, must enlist the aid of men he meets on the road in order to get his daughter back.
After that we were entertained by a poem, Your Home is Your Castle, composed by one of our long-standing members. It reminds us that a warm welcome makes any home a castle.
Our penultimate story was The Fairy Flag. This flag was, so legend tells, given to Clan MacLeod by the fairy folk and led the clan to victory in battles. It was to be used only three times… only twice was it required.
Last of all we heard a self-penned tale, The Dragon Princess. A queen gives birth to twins, but one is a dragon. It relates events in the lives of the two princesses as they grow up.
Once again it was a wonderful evening, enjoyed by all.
Our next storytelling session will be in our usual venue of the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, on Wednesday, 3rd July.
Our theme will be “A Different Perspective”. Of course, all are welcome to come along and tell a story on any subject you fancy, or just come to listen. It makes for a relaxing and convivial evening. So come and join us!
