This was one of my favourite books when I was a child – one of those books I read again and again and again. It’s set in the Scottish Highlands, in the Cairngorm Mountains, and it’s the tale of a farmer’s years-long battle with the “sidhe,” or faerie people, after he decides to plow a plot of land traditionally left empty as a “gift” for them. As an adult, I was reminded of the story when I visited the Cairngorms, and told this story to my husband as we hiked the Lairig Ghru, the mountain pass which features prominently in the tale.

A few days ago, my son started asking about fairy tales, and this one came immediately to mind, so we’ve been reading it at bedtime for the past few nights, finishing it up this evening. It’s every bit as charming as I remember, and my son enjoyed it, too – even found it a bit scary, which is pretty unusual for him to admit. :D And the ending still makes me cry, just like it did all those years ago. This is a great book, and if you can get your hands on a copy, I’d highly recommend it. 10/10