Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-07-14
FANCIES ABOUT HORSES.
FOLK LORE CONCERNING THE WELL
KNOWN DOMESTIC ANIMAL.

fo1N H0nE NONS1VNuNS I'LL V@@&
KNOWN DOMESTIC ANIMAL.
The Horse as a Water sprite-scotland's
wator Kelpy-Horses Ridden by Witches
and Falries-various Omens and Be-
nefs-As an Emblem.
In folk lore the horse figures most as a
water sprite. Neptune having tradition
ally created the animal, we should not be
astonished to find him powerful at sea.
'Mystio water horses, water bulls. or
cows are to be found in the religious sys
TENS Of many nations of old, and they
still haunt the Imagination Of living men
in the shape of dapple gray stations and
brown steers that still rise from some
German lake
These water horses appear In many
lands In Iceland, Nick, or Hnickur, also
called by other names, appears as a gray
horse with hoofs turned backward. When
the ice splits"open in the winter it is said
to be the water horse coming up. One
was said to have eight feet and ten heads.
This steed sometimes induces young per-
sons to mount his back when he PUSHES
into the water, and it is said that he can
be tanned but his bride must never be
taken off.
In the Orkney islands the water sprite
comes as handsome little horse, with
his name covered with weeds. In the
Shetland islands, Shoopultie is the name
given to him, as well as Njuggle or Nick
An old historical chronicle asserts one
was tanned and worked during the day.
Popular accounts represent him as having
tail like wheel He is usually mis-
chievous. stopping mills, carrying persons
into the sea, etc,
THE WATER KELPY.
Nearly every Scotch lake or stream had
Its water kelpy He would decoy travellers
to mount him, and rush into the water
with them. He could be caught by fling
ing over his head bride marked with
the sign Of the cross A blacksmith, sus-
picious of one of these water sprites,
| thrust hot iron into It's side, reducing it
to heap Of starch.
Water horses are called Phookie and
| Aughisky in Ireland and are said to come
| up out Of the lakes, soms of them being
carnivorous One had serpent's body,
with horses head In north Germany
Jagowd is the name applied to the water
horse One is said to have come out of q
lake, harnessed himself to a harrow, and
worried the other horses to death.
Mosquito Indians say Wihwin. a demon,
appears in the shape Of a horse. Eastern
lore is not without It's stories Of water
horses. Ell Kazwini. medieval Arab
writer, says sea horses are larger than
those Of the land, and have cloven hoofs
and small name and tail.
Throughout England and Scotland 1t
was formerly supposed that horses were
| - - L1, v,,t% nj
1t was said that if the names and tails Of
the horses were found to be plated and
knotted together it was a sure sign the
fairies had been riding the steeds. To
prevent this. as well as to guard against
the unwelcome visits of witches, it was
the custom to hang about the doors of the
stables and in the stalls and managers
branches Of ash or yew, hazel or broom.
The horseshoe, nailed up over the door,
was also eficacious here. When the in
mates of the stables were found covered
with cold sweat OF moisture in the
morning it was deemed a sure sign that
witches had ridden them during the
night
Nor were these beldames satisfied with
the chargers thus surreptitiously pro
cured It was wildly believed, here and
on the continent, that witches were able
to transform persons into horses, ~.. !,
That s9ch steals 1ss 'id IT, the 'Aashs
tenoeA'oos u 'nese naes'
VARIOUS oMENs
There are few omens connected witt
the horse In Yorkshire England, 1t /.
thought unlucky to see a white horse
| Probably here is q key to the connection
between the white steed and the Il
omened red haired girl. In many part
of England it is believed that any person
riding piebald horse Is able to cure the
whooping cough ,m.
Around the neck Of horse In York
shire, some years since, was found
string tied to bag made of the thumb O
written on parchment. This was though