Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds is a beautiful new collection of classic Scottish Traveller tales, as told by the late great Duncan Williamson (1928–2007), who is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s greatest storytellers. Recently nominated for the Carnegie Medal, it is both a demonstration of Williamson’s storytelling prowess, and a celebration of the magic and true value of stories themselves.

Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds
By Duncan Williamson
Published by Floris Books

As we approach the height of the festive buying season, it’s easy to lose sight of the real worth of what we gift to each other. Whilst plastic (be it in the form of toys, clothes, games consoles or mobile phones) is guaranteed to end up on most Christmas shopping lists, here are some wise words from Duncan Williamson’s introduction to Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds, as he recalls Christmases from his own childhood.

Around Christmas time my father would say, “Well, thank God, this is Christmas Eve. Come doon beside me and I’ll tell you a story. Now remember, children, any toy I could buy – what’s the sense of buying you a toy when you’ll only break it – it’ll be destroyed in a couple of days. Even if I had the money to afford it. But, this story will last you the entire time of your life.”

My father told me a story when I was only five years old. Now that was seventy years ago! And I can remember that tale the way he told it to me, just the very way. I can visualise him sitting there by the fireside, a young man putting coals in his pipe, you know, smoking his pipe, and all the little kids gathered round the fire; he sitting there telling them a beautiful Christmas tale. Which was far better to us now when I look back than anything he could have bought for us.

Duncan’s father’s words are just as relevant in 2022 as they were when first spoken in the 1930s, and they provide a wonderful reminder that the impact of books and stories can endure for a lifetime. So, in the spirit of gifting, we hope you enjoy this seasonal story, taken from the newly published Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds.

The Hare and the Scarecrow

Once upon a time there was this scarecrow and he’d stood in the field all summer scaring off the birds. After all the harvest was cut and it came near Christmas time, the farmer forgot about the scarecrow and left him in the field. Poor little scarecrow was so sad! No one ever came along and said hello. He just stood there in the field, no one to speak to, just a lonely old scarecrow. Then one morning, just before Christmas, along came a large brown hare, and he stopped beside the scarecrow.

He said, ‘Good morning, Mister Scarecrow!’

And the scarecrow was so glad to have someone to talk to, he said, ‘Oh, good morning, Mister Hare!’

The hare said, ‘Why are you so sad and lonely standing all by yourself in the field when everyone around the world is so happy because it’s Christmas time?’

‘What can I do?’ he said. ‘I’m just an old scarecrow. All the birds are gone because it’s wintertime and no one seems to want to bother with me any more.’

‘Look, Mister Scarecrow, it is not right that you should stand in the field in the cold winter months after spending all summer scaring off the birds for the farmer!’

‘There’s nothing really I can do about it. The farmer has forgotten me.’

The hare said, ‘I know why he has forgotten about you – because he is busy up in his house decorating a nice Christmas tree for his children. He bought his children all these lovely presents for Christmas and tonight they’re going to have a great party. And you, poor scarecrow, are left in the field all alone by yourself after working so hard all summer; so that the farmer could have nice crops of grain and sell these crops of grain for money to buy all these present for his children – and have a nice Christmas party! It is not fair.’

‘There’s nothing really I can do, because I’m just a scarecrow!’

Then along comes a woodland fairy. She hears what the scarecrow has said. She stops aside him, and she too is sorry for the scarecrow.

She says to him, ‘I too am not very happy about this.’

The scarecrow says, ‘Look, there’s nothing I can do… I cannot walk.’

And the fairy says, ‘Yes, you can! Because I am going to put a magic spell on you for two hours tonight and you can do anything you like. You can walk and go wherever you want to go! But remember, you must not talk – or the spell will be broken.’

‘I would love to go to the farmhouse and join the children’s Christmas party.’

The fairy says, ‘You have got two hours to yourself to do what you like!’ And the scarecrow was happy.

The hare said, ‘It’s just right that he should have these things because he’s worked so hard!’ The hare went on his journey and the woodland fairy flew off, left the scarecrow all by himself.

Now the scarecrow stood in the field and rubbed his hands together, said, ‘I don’t want to go too early. I don’t want to go too late; I will just wait till the children begin their Christmas party. Then I will go and join them!’

Back in the farmhouse the farmer was busy putting up the Christmas tree, putting all the presents under and lighting it up for his three children. Then, the scarecrow thought it was time – now it was quite dark, about six o’clock – and the children had begun their party.

So, the scarecrow got down from the stake he was tied to. And when he started to walk, he felt so light and free. ‘Oh, dear,’ he said, ‘at last I’m free from this field!’

He walked and walked till he came to the farmer’s door. He looked through the window and saw the great big Christmas tree. All the children were happy. They had party hats on, they were singing and dancing and having great fun. But the poor scarecrow he didn’t know how to open the door! So, he just sat all alone and wished he could join the children.

But the farmer was so busy with his children helping them, having party games and all the fun, he felt it so warm in the house he said, ‘I think I’ll go outside for a few minutes and get a breath of fresh air.’

The farmer walked to the door, opened it and walked out on the steps. And lo and behold who should be sitting there but the scarecrow! The farmer scratched his head and said to himself, ‘I wonder where in the world did you come from? The last time I saw you, you were down in my ten-acre field scaring the crows. But, you’ve been a good scarecrow to me; you scared all the birds away all summer and you worked really hard. I think it’s about time you should come and join our Christmas party!’ So, the farmer lifted up the scarecrow and carried it inside.

And the children said, ‘Daddy, Daddy! What have you brought?’

He said, ‘Children, gather round, because I have a little friend who comes to visit you!’

And the children said, ‘Daddy, it’s the scarecrow!’

‘I know, children, it’s the scarecrow. But you must remember… come up here till I tell you a wee story. I built this scarecrow myself and I made him nice. I gave him a hat and I gave him a turnip for a head. I gave him hands and legs made of straw and I put him in my field to scare away the birds. If I didn’t do that then the birds would eat all the grain, and the grain would never grow up – I wouldn’t have any harvest. And if I didn’t have any harvest then I wouldn’t get any money, and if I didn’t get any money then I couldn’t buy you children all these wonderful presents and make this lovely Christmas tree. It’s all because of the scarecrow. So, I think it’s about time he should come and join the Christmas party!’

And the children said, ‘Yes, Daddy, we understand. Please, put him beside the Christmas tree!’

So, the farmer carried the scarecrow and put him beside the tree. And the scarecrow was happy to be there. Then the children started to dance and sing, carry on and have their party games. But lo and behold the scarecrow got so excited he couldn’t help himself; he got up and walked on the floor. He started to sing, and he started to dance. And he danced and sang, danced and sang and clapped his hands. The farmer and his children were so taken away with this scarecrow they thought it was magic. They couldn’t believe a scarecrow would do this. Then, forgetting what the fairy had told him, he was just going to tell stories about all the birds in the field that he’s seen… when the clock struck eight and the scarecrow fell on the floor.

The farmer was amazed. He picked him up and said, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before.’

The children said, ‘Daddy, please, put him beside the Christmas tree again… he must be a magic scarecrow!’

And the farmer said, ‘No, he is not a magic scarecrow; he is just an old scarecrow. But he will never again stand in a cold field in the winter months. When all the harvest is off the field and all the birds have flown away for the winter, our scarecrow will join our Christmas party – every year!’

The children were so happy and excited they said, ‘Yes, Daddy, please, let’s have the scarecrow for next Christmas!’

‘Right, children,’ he said, ‘have your party!’

The farmer carried the scarecrow and put him in the shed, shut him up for the rest of the winter till the next summer came along. Then he placed him back in the field again. And the scarecrow was happy, for he knew he’d heard the farmer saying that he would join the children at their Christmas party next year. The scarecrow looked forward to it.

And that is the end of my wee story.

Silver Unicorns and Golden Birds by Duncan Williamson is published by Floris Books, priced £12.99.