THE STROLLER'S TALE #17

TITLE - THE STROLLER'S TALE #17 

CREATED BY - THE MAGPIE'S FEATHER

GENRE - FOLKTALES, FOLKLORE & LOCAL LEGENDS FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE UK

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/32 PAGES/COLOUR + B&W/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £2.50 + SHIPPING FROM THE MAGPIES FEATHER ETSY STORE

A welcome new issue of one my favourite zines, the diverse, fun and always surprising “The Stroller’s Tale” from The Magpie’s Feather.

The longest piece in the zine is “The Long Walk to Glastonbury”, which reprints the 40 year old diary of three “intrepid hippies” - Squash, Madhead and Roger - on a walking trip to Glasto for the summer solstice. The extracts are fun and honest, with the trio sleeping under the stars, giving piggybacks to local kids and enjoying tea and scones at a vicarage (which ends with them in a giggling fit). The accompanying photos of the tea party evoke an idyllic, carefree time. Adam Skerrett, AKA “Mythwalker”, talks of his pilgrimage to “beat the bounds” of the ancient Celtic kingdom of Dumnonia, and shares details of his new venture offering Mythwalker Experiences: guided walks around the ancient sites of West Cornwall.

We also meet Fergal the Mergal, one of many aliases for a chap on a 50 day & night pseudo pilgrimage along the Cornwall coastal path. Something of a local celebrity, he even has his own merch in the form of postcards, and dispenses survival tips against unleashed dogs and muggers! The issue is rounded off with a walk in the larger-than-life footsteps of The Reverend Stephen Robert Hawker of Morwenstow, who once excommunicated a cat and pretended to be a mermaid to play a trick on superstitious locals. We are also treated to vivid poetry from Vikki Yeates’ with accompanying art featuring evocative and earthy drawings of foxes and hares; and there is also a poem by Nyssa Ebert entitled “Ode To Midsummer’s Eve”.

Reading “The Stroller’s Tale” is like being a silent participant on the best ramble ever. Every person you meet is interesting and decent, and you can be sure of getting a hint of the land's hidden powers and learning some arcane knowledge. The stories have a gentle rhythm and easy vibe which make for a pleasant, non-scary read. And, if you're lucky, you'll meet Fergal the Mergal!