Storytelling

fachan

In Scottish folklore, the fachan (or fachin, fachen, Direach Ghlinn Eitidh or Dithreach (dwarf of Glen Etive)) is a monster or giant described by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands as having a single eye in the mid…

"Direach Ghlinn Eiti or Fachan (as described)," figure 9 from p. 298, vol. 4 of J. F. Campbell's Popular Tales of the West Highlands . The text on p. 297 explains: "the Direach Ghlinn Eitidh MhicCalain , the desert creature of Glen Eiti, of the son of Colin, is thus described: —…
Photo: John Francis Campbell · Public domain+ Add licensed photo →

The tradition & historical record

1 min read · 2 sources

In Scottish folklore, the fachan (or fachin, fachen, Direach Ghlinn Eitidh or Dithreach (dwarf of Glen Etive)) is a monster or giant described by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands as having a single eye in the middle of its face, a single hand protruding from its chest instead of arms, and a single leg emerging from its central axis. 1

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Fachan”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. 1

fachan is monster in folklore, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. 2

The source record links this tradition to 2 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. 2

No recording linked yet — know one? Point at it →
Sources on Record
[1]Wikipedia: Fachan · encyclopedia
Sourced or Silent · Still Open

Questions awaiting a cited source

+ Answer with a source →
How many people perform it today?
When is it first attested, and by whom?

Other rooms in Storytelling

Same family · with a photograph