Kelpie

A kelpie is a mythical shape-shifting spirit that lives in lakes in Scottish folklore. They are also found in ponds and streams in Yorkshire stories. Tales of these water-horses, known by different names, are common across the British Isles, including the Northern Isles, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Northern England, and Wales. Kelpies are usually described as grey or white horse-like creatures that can change into humans. Some stories say that when a kelpie becomes human, it still has hooves, which links it to the Christian idea of Satan, as mentioned by Robert Burns in his 1786 poem "Address to the Devil".

Almost every large body of water in Scotland has a kelpie story, but the most well-known is from Loch Ness. Similar creatures appear around the world, like the Germanic nixie, the wihwin in Central America, and the Australian bunyip. The exact origins of these stories are unclear, but they likely served to keep children away from dangerous water and to warn young women about trusting handsome strangers.

Kelpies have appeared in many forms in art and literature, including two 30-meter (100-foot) tall steel sculptures called The Kelpies in Falkirk, completed in October 2013.

References

Category:Legendary creatures
Category:Folklore
Category:Scottish culture