Kelpie - Celtic Water Horse
The Kelpie water horse is in Celtic Spirit especially Scottish, that traditionally inhabited the deep pools of the Scottish streams and rivers. They also will haunt the rivers rather than lochs of the sea. When a storm is due, the Kelpie would sometimes be heard howling and wailing. He could also assume the human form when he needed by, appearing as a rough shaggy man. In this shape he would sometimes leap up behind solitary riders, gripping them in his strong arms or frightening them to death. Although most of the time the Kelpie would would use his most usually shape that was of a young horse and his favorite trick was to lure travellers onto his back and then trust with them into a deep pool. When the struck the water, his tail would causing a sound like thunder and then the Kelpie would vanished in a flash of light. He was also suspected of some times tearing people to pieces and devouring them.
(This is and old Scottish poem of the Kelpie)
Sad back and sad bones
Driving the Larid o' Morphie's stones.
The Laird of Morphie will never thrive,
So long as the Kelpie's alive!
Sometimes the Kelpie is said to be black but also 'Green as Glass' with a Jet Black mane and Tail. The Kelpie can also take the form of any form type of human, but it always has something of the water which gives it away. Like waterweed hair. In its horse form it might water near a ford to tempt a weary traveller to ride it across the river. It would look like a gentle pony, but anyone foolish enough to mount one of these Celtic Spirits would be carried off into the river and drowned.
Another name for the Kelpie on the Isle of the Man is the Glashtyn. Like all Kelpie's, the Glashtyn appears as a horse - specifically a grey colt. It is often seen on the banks of lakes and appears only at night.
In Ireland a faerie known as Phooka is also said to take the shape of a horse and induces children to the mountain. He is then said to plunged over the mountain with the children and precipice in killing them all.
Kelpies were also well known for stealing human girls to take as wives, never to see their families again. There is a story of a Kelpie's wife who manged to escape to dry land again, leaving the kelpie and their baby son. Although she wept to leave her child she longed for human company and she knew the kelpie love his son and would care for him. she returned to her family who were overjoyed to see her again, thinking that she had been drowned years ago. But as they celebrated, a dreadful storm blew-up, with howling winds and lashing rain. Above the noise they could hear the furious screams of the Kelpis's. In the middle of the night, when the storm was at it's worst, they heard a loud thump against the door of the house. They didn't dare look, in case it was the Kelpie coming for his wife.
But in the morning the storm abated and they opened the to see what h ad crashed into it in the night... It was the severed head of the baby son.
Some say the Kelpie is not always male, but may also take the form of a human woman. In this instance,the Kelpie is often referred to as a Water Wraith and is most often seen clothed in a green dress. She is just as treacherous as a male Kelpie.
This is the one way in which a Kelpie can be defeated and tamed - The Kelpie's power of shape shifting was said to reside in it's bridle and anybody who could possess such a bridle could force the kelpie to submit to their will. A kelpie in Subjugation was highly prized, it has the strength of at least 10 horses and the endurance of many more. But fairy races were always dangerous captives especially those as malignant as the Kelpie. It was said that the Mac Gregor clan were in possession of a kelpies bridle, passed down through the generations from when one of their clan managed to save himself from a Kelpie near Loch Slochd.
So this is the legend of the Kelpie horse - Celtic Scottish Water Horse.
I found this Magical Creature fascinating myself. It wasn't your typically Magick creature that I've have found. I haven't found to many creatures that were able to shape - shift and were able to change to both male and female . I hope that you all found this as fascinating as myself and I will continue to find more interesting Magick Creatures and find beautiful images from amazing Artists to go with these blogs for you Wendy
