Alec Stewart (1882–1968), perhaps better known as Ailidh Dall (‘blind Alec’), was a Traveller tinsmith, piper, solider, singer and storyteller. He is renowned as ‘the best Gaelic storyteller ever recorded on the mainland of Scotland.’ Born in Elphin and based in Lairg, Sutherland, Alec learned most of his stories from his mother, Susie Stewart, as well as from her brothers. His vast store of tales stretched back to the ancient Ossianic legends and included tales of warriors, stories of the supernatural, of humourous characters, or about encounters as they travelled from place to place. Keeping to a traditional route and living out of a bow tent, he travelled with his family across the north of Scotland making a living by pearl fishing, tin-smithing, horse dealing, buying, selling and bartering.