STUART McHARDY is a writer, occasional broadcaster, and storyteller. Having been actively involved in many aspects of Scottish culture throughout his adult life - music, poetry, language, history, folklore - he has been resident in Edinburgh for over a quarter of a century. Although he has held some illustrious positions including Director of the Scots Language Resource Centre in Perth and President of the Pictish Arts Society, McHardy is probably proudest of having been a member of the Vigil for a Scottish Parliament. Often to be found in the bookshops, libraries and tea-rooms of Edinburgh, he lives near the city centre with the lovely (and ever-tolerant) Sandra and they have one son, Roderick. DONALD SMITH is the Director of Scottish International Storytelling Festival at Edinburgh's Netherbow and a founder of the National Theatre of Scotland. For many years he was responsible for the programme of the Netherbow Theatre, producing, directing, adapting and writing professional theatre and community dramas, as well as a stream of literature and storytelling events. He has published both poetry and prose and is a founding member of Edinburgh's Guid Crack Club. He also arranges story walks around Arthur's Seat.

JOHN FEE was one of Edinburgh's most accomplished and popular storytellers. Part of a well-known an Irish family, John was born and brought up in the Old Town. His early experiences of the social life and character of Old Edinburgh combined with his later passions for history, art and story to fashion a mature storytelling artist whose dry wit, melodic tenor voice, and cunning digressions kept audiences enthralled. In the last two years of his life John Fee produced written versions of his developed stories for the first time. They comprise an original and revealing insight into real lives, lived in the ancient heart of Scotland's capital city.