Dictionary:
kel·pie1 kel·py (kĕl'pē) 
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[Probably of Celtic origin, akin to Scottish Gaelic colpach, heifer.]
[From Kelpie, the name of an early specimen of the breed.]
Celtic Mythology:
kelpie |
The fairy water-creature of Scottish folklore, initially thought to inhabit lonely, fast-moving streams and later any body of water. Usually thought to be a horse, sometimes human, the kelpie is most often described as at least mischievous and more likely malevolent. The creature entices travellers on to its back and then rushes into deep pools to drown them. His tail strikes the water in thunder and he disappears in a flash of lightning. In human form the kelpie is a rough, shaggy man who leaps behind a solitary rider, gripping and crushing him. Some stories depict a human-form kelpie as tearing people apart and devouring them. The kelpie might be forced, however unwilling, to serve mortal ends. A bold man named MacGregor captured a kelpie's magic bridle and refused pleas to restore it; instead, MacGregor used it to work magic. In a widely known story a nobleman named Graham of Morphie bridled a kelpie and obliged him to drag stones to build his new castle. When the castle was completed, Graham released the unhappy kelpie who dashed to the river, promising that the Laird of Morphie would never enjoy the fruits of his forced labour. And, indeed, misfortune dogged the Grahams of Morphie all their lives.
Although known all over Scotland, the kelpie appears to originate in Scottish Gaelic tradition and is clearly a counterpart of the Welsh ceffyl dwfr and afanc, the Irish and Scottish Gaelic each uisce/uisge, and the Manx cabyll-ushtey and
Bibliography
WordNet:
kelpie |
The noun has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1:
(Scottish folklore) water spirit in the form of a horse that likes to drown its riders
Synonym: kelpy
Meaning #2:
an Australian sheepdog with pointed ears
Wikipedia:
Kelpie |
 The Kelpie by Herbert James Draper |
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| Mythology | Celtic mythology |
|---|---|
| Grouping | Mythological |
| Sub grouping | Water spirit |
| Country | Scotland Ireland |
| Habitat | Rivers Lochs |
| Similar creatures | Each uisge Nix |
The kelpie is a supernatural water horse from Celtic folklore that is believed to haunt the rivers and lochs of Scotland and Ireland; the name may be from Scottish Gaelic cailpeach or colpach 'heifer, colt.'[1]
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Its hide was supposed to be black (though in some stories it was white), and will appear to be a lost pony, but can be identified by its constantly dripping mane. Its skin is like that of a seal, smooth, but is as cold as death when touched. The horse's appearance is strong, powerful, and breathtaking. Water horses are also known to transform into handsome men in order to lure women into their traps. It is understood that the nostril of the horse is what creates the illusion of grandeur. The water horse also creates illusions to keep itself hidden, keeping only its eye above water to scout the surface, much like the illusion of a fish's pupil. It is wise to keep away from them.
The water horse is also a common form of the kelpie, said to lure mortals, especially children, into the water to drown and eat them. It performs this act by encouraging children to ride on its back. Once its victims fall into its trap, the kelpie's skin becomes adhesive and it bears them into the river, dragging them to the bottom of the water and devouring them - except the heart or liver. A common Scottish tale is the story of nine children lured onto a kelpie's back, while a tenth keeps his distance. The kelpie chases him and tries to catch him, but he escapes. A variation on this is that the tenth child simply strokes the kelpie's nose, but when his finger becomes stuck to it he takes a knife from his pocket and cuts his own finger off. He saves himself, but is unable to help his friends as they are pulled underwater with the kelpie. Commonly known as spirits of the dead, kelpies are not benevolent creatures.
An exception is a Scottish tale in which, towards the end of the mystical period of Scotland, a water horse fails to travel to Tír na nÓg with its fellow mystic folk, and instead rises above water, seeking a wife. However, after attempting to court a clever girl, who consults the wiseman about the situation, he is captured and forced to work in order to be taught compassion. After learning his lesson, he is given the choice of departing to Tír na nÓg, or drinking a magic potion that will make him a real man. The water horse, now full of love decides to drink the potion which erases the memories of his life as a water horse and gives him the chance to live with the clever girl with whom he has fallen in love.
In Orkney a similar creature was called the nuggle, and in Shetland a similar creature was called the shoopiltee, the njogel, or the tangi. On the Isle of Man it is known as the cabbyl-ushtey (Manx Gaelic for "water horse," compare to Irish capall uisge) or the glashtin. In Wales, a similar creature is known as the Ceffyl Dŵr. It also appears in Scandinavian folklore where in Sweden it is known by the name Bäckahästen, the brook horse. In Norway it is called nøkken, where the horse shape is often used, but is not its true form. In the Faroe Islands it is called Nykur and in Iceland it is called nykur or nennir. Another similar Scottish water horse is the each uisge, which also appears in Ireland.
Following the prohibition on the import of arms into Ireland (Dec 1913), in the aftermath of the introduction of the Home Rule Bill for Ireland (1912), a yacht named Kelpie was involved in the smuggling of rifles, in July and August 1914, for the Nationalist organisation the Irish Volunteers. The Kelpie was skippered by Conor O’Brien (1880–1952), a Limerickman.
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 | Ech-uisque (parapsychology) |
| ceffyl dwfr |
| The Kelpie (parapsychology) |
Copyrights:
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Celtic Mythology. A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Copyright © James MacKillop 1998, 2004. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kelpie". Read more |
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