Rewilding Scotland’s Epics: Ossian, Arthur and Columba

by Donald Smith

To rewild is to return land to a wilder, more natural state – what if we could do the same with stories? Acclaimed storyteller Donald Smith retells the cycles of Ossian, Arthur and Columba, inspiring voices of rediscovery and reconnection in the face of ecological crisis. Discover three distinct but interlinked epic cycles from Scotland’s oral storytelling tradition: the Ossian cycle – adventures of father and son Fionn and Ossian; the Arthur Cycle – adventures of Arthur and Merlin; and the Columba Cycle – adventures of the legendary monk Colmcille. Smith’s retellings illuminate the deep ecological grounding of these myths, as well as their enduring themes of love, war, and tragedy. In retelling three foundational mythic cycles, Donald Smith restores the sacred link between Scotland’s land and its stories.