Kelpie
A kelpie is a mythical shape-shifting spirit that lives in lochs in Scottish folklore. They are also found in ponds and streams in many folktale stories from Yorkshire[1].
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[2] that can change into humans. Some stories say that when a kelpie becomes human, it still has hooves. This has caused some to link 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 about 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 attractive strangers.
Kelpies have appeared in many forms in art and literature.
The Kelpies, two 30-meter (100-foot) high steel sculptures, were installed in October 2013 in Falkirk, Scotland.
References
- ↑ "Folklore of the Dales". Yorkshire Dales National Park. 2021-07-18. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ↑ "'The Kelpies': Ancient myth in modern art | Art UK". Archived from the original on 2025-12-07. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
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