W. A. (William Alexander) Clouston

Born in 1843 at Stromness in Orkney, William Alexander Clouston became known as a Scottish folklorist, essayist, and editor with a strong interest in the migration of stories across languages and regions. Early in life he worked in commercial business in Glasgow and London before turning more fully toward literary and scholarly pursuits.

Clouston is remembered for books on popular narrative and comparative folklore, including studies of Eastern story collections and tale traditions. He wrote and edited works such as Popular Tales and Fictions, The Book of Noodles, Flowers from a Persian Garden, and translations or retellings connected with Persian and other Asian sources, helping English-language readers discover a wide range of traditional literature.

He died on October 23, 1896. Later writers on folklore continued to value his work for its range, curiosity, and enthusiasm, and he remains an interesting figure for readers drawn to the long journeys stories make from one culture to another.