The Kelpie

By Linley Barbe

    The Kelpie is one of the most well-known beings in Scottish folklore. They are also one of the most dangerous creatures. Kelpies are shapeshifting horses with the ability to appear as humans (typically men) if they want. They are not any avenge horse, they possess the strength of ten normal horses and their hooves are said to look reversed compared to normal horses. They are commonly found near deep rivers or bodies of freshwater. Kelpies are known for being the most vengeful creature in Scottish folklore because their sole mission is to trick travelers into allowing Kelpies to get close enough to drown them in the riverbanks. They trick travelers by appearing as grayish-black horses with a calming demeanor to give the impression of a horse that is easy to tame by anyone interested. This tempts many people to ride the “peaceful” horse in order to get over the deep rivers. When the foolish people get on the kelpie’s back the kelpie dives into the deepest parts of the water, effectively drowning the rider at the bottom of the river. Kelpies are known for being especially evil because they not only drown their victims but they are said to kill them brutally. It’s rumored that the only parts of their victims that have ever resurfaced from the riverbanks were kidneys and livers.

It’s believed that this tale of the kelpie is actually a reference/projection to the fear of water, rivers, lakes, etc, that many people of Scottish descent had. The traitorous storms, reckless seas, and overall bad weather in Scotland made any associations with water (even mythological creatures) be seen as the enemy or evil in some way. It’s also believed that the tales were made up as a way to warn young children to stay away from the deep riverbanks and wild horses. This was to prevent children from accidentally drowning in the riverbanks or getting seriously hurt by attempting to ride wild horses.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Drekavac

     The Drekavac originates from South Slavic mythology and translates to “the screamer” or “the screecher.” They are supposed to be a mythical creature of the souls of children who died before being baptized. It’s common knowledge that they are made of the souls of unbaptized children, but the description of them varies, significantly depending on the culture. In Eastern Serbia, the Drekavac are described as humanoid wolf-like creatures that walk on their two back legs. In this version, they are said to have the body of a large dog with larger hind legs like a kangaroo. Other ways it’s described are as an undead man that crawled out of his grave in the middle of the night. Another common (if not the most common) way it’s described as an unbaptized undead child that crawled out of its grave in the middle of the night to haunt its parents. Drekavac are only seen as night, especially during the twelve days of Christmas (also known as the unbaptized days in Serbian languag...
Read more

The Wendigo

    The Wendigo is a mythological monster from the folklore of the Indigenous people in North America who speak Algonquian languages. Wendigo is said to be a fifteen-foot-tall creature covered in matted hair and has a disfigured face with equally as distorted teeth that are accompanied by a set of dully sunken eyes. Wendigo's eyes are rumored to glow when they look at you and their month is hiding their horribly long tongues behind a row of yellow razor-sharp fangs. Their skin is so thin that you can see their bones through it. You can also see their heart beating and that’s why it’s believed that their heart is made of pure ice because you can see their heart beating freezing blood through its veins. These frightening creatures roam around the cold snow-covered forest of North America to be able efficiently to stalk their victims under the shadows. They can’t stay in one spot for long because they are cursed to forever wander the land to satisfy their hunger for huma...
Read more

Diwata

     In the Philippians the Diwata are believed to be spirits or deities that protect the surrounding nature. They are seen as the guardians of the natural world and are sometimes known for punishing those who abuse animals or the environment, while helping/rewarding those who’ve earned it. In the traditional stories they represent things like humanity, humility, consequence of greed, and the balance between material and immaterial realms. Diwata are praised for healthy harvests, protection from natural diseases, and unknighted communities. Many Filipinos still pray and give offerings to the Diwata before they start big projects like long trips away, planting crops, fishing, or building homes. People commonly offer flowers to the Diwata to show respect and gain their blessings. There are festivals and rituals held in modern times for the Diwata and what they represent to the Filipino culture. Diwata are described as glowingly beautiful women, wearing traditional flowing...
Read more