Information AboutKelpie |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT KELPIE | |
| celtic legendary creatures | |
| scottish folklore | |
| shapeshifting | |
| fairies | |
| mythological horses | |
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.]] The kelpie is a Supernatural Shape-shifting water horse from Celtic Folklore that is believed to haunt the rivers and Loch s of Scotland and Ireland . It generally has grayish black fur, and will appear to be a lost pony, but can be identified by its constantly dripping mane. its skin is like that of a seal but is deathly cold to the touch. In Orkney a similar creature was called the ''Nuggle'', and in Shetland a similar creature was called the ''Shoopiltee''. It also appears in Scandinavian Folklore where in Sweden it is known by the name ''' Bäckahästen ''', the ''brook horse''. In Norway it is called Nøkken , where the horse shape is often used, but is not its true form. HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY In Scottish folklore, a kelpie would lure people onto its back and then dive into a deep lake to drown its unfortunate rider. A kelpie if bridled by a human might be forced to do the bidding of the rider but if the bridle should slip then the unfortunate soul would find themselves in a watery grave. Katharine Briggs , ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures,'' "Kelpie", p 246. ISBN 0-394-73467-X The kelpie sometimes appeared as a rough hairy man who would grip and crush travellers, but it most commonly took the form of a beautiful tame horse standing by a stream or river. If anyone mounted it, it would charge into the deepest part of the water, submerging and taking the rider with it. They would sometimes interbreed with humans' horses, and the foals were said to be fine fleetfooted horses. The kelpie was also said to warn of forthcoming storms by wailing and howling. Rarely, kelpies could be benign. The folktale ''The Kelpie's Wife'' tells of one in Loch Garve , Ross-shire , who had a human wife. The Jethro Tull song ''Kelpie'', from the 1988 album ''20 Years Of Jethro Tull'', tells of a young woman tempted away by a kelpie. {Link without Title} According to the Swedish Naturalist and author Bengt Sjögren (1980), the present day belief in Lake Monster s in for example Loch Ness , is associated with the old legends of kelpies. Sjögren claims that the accounts of lake-monsters have changed during history. Older reports often talk about horse-like appearances, but more modern reports often have more reptile and Dinosaur -like-appearances, and Bengt Sjögren concludes that the legends of kelpies evolved into the present day legends of lake-monsters where the monsters "changed the appearance" to a more "realistic" and "modern" version since the discovery of dinosaurs and giant aquatic reptiles from the horse-like water-kelpie to a dinosaur-like reptile, often a Plesiosaur . The water horse is known in many countries: - In Welsh folklore, a Ceffyl Dŵr is a water horse similar to the Kelpie. In Wales although he has no wings he is still able to fly. He may be seen above a pool or waterfall or occasionally grazing on the bank. He sometimes allows himself to be caught and mounted, but he is full of pranks and delights in tossing his rider to the ground. - In Scandinavia , the ''brook horse'' was a transformation of the Nix , a water spirit in the shape of a man. It was often described as a majestic black horse that would appear near rivers, particularly during Foggy weather. Anyone who climbed onto its back would not be able to get off again. The horse would then jump into the river, drowning the rider. The brook horse could also be harnessed and made to plough, either because it was trying to trick a person or because the person had tricked the horse into it. KELPIE LEGENDS The following tale is a good illustration of the brook horse:
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE Kelpie is a Seaweed Ale brewed by the Heather Ale Company in Alloa , Scotland . SEE ALSO
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