What are the origins of Sawney Bean's dark legend? “So if you ride frae there tae here Be ye wary in between Lest they catch your horse and spill your blood In the cave o' Sawney Bean” — Lionel McClelland, The Ballad of Sawney Bean Every country has its dark legends. Their main purpose is to scare children at night, but they also reflect the fears and beliefs of the culture. All of these elements and more are at the core of one of Scotland’s most gruesome legends: the cannibal clan of Sawney Bean.
