A Giant Battle On Unst

Like much of Scotland, Shetland was once home to giants. These creatures always struggled to get along with each other, so they tended to live solitary lives. On Unst, the most northerly island in Shetland, two giants just happened to have made their homes incredibly close to each other. It was a recipe for disaster.

Saxa lived on Saxa Vord and Herman on Hermaness, only separated by one small sea loch known in Shetland as a voe. True to form, the pair hated each other and would launch boulders across the water, trying to knock their opponent into the sea. Many of those enormous rocks can still be seen scattered around the landscape today.

Many of the giant’s arguments surrounded a beautiful mermaid that both were besotted with. She wasn’t really interested in either Saxa or Herman, but this mermaid liked to fan their flames of passion and discontent.

One day, the giants were roaring the usual insults at each other across the water, the whole island of Unst shaking with the sound. The little mermaid popped out of the water and the mere sight of her was enough to silence the neighbours. She issued the pair a challenge to settle their differences once and for all.

Whoever was the first to swim out and meet her at the North Pole, could have her. Both giants were terrified of the water but would do anything for the mermaid. When one stepped foot into the sea, the other refused to give in and quickly followed.

The people of Unst waited to see if it would be Herman or Saxa that would return victorious. In the end, it was the mermaid who appeared alone, both giants having drowned in the sea. Unst would be free from their noisy quarrels but the pair still live on in the names of the landscape.