13 “utting” the bridle off could even kill a kelpie if it was not returned in a day. Some kelpies are described wearing a “magic bridle.” 12 Women might steal these bridles to force a kelpie to stay in human form as their groom. Kelpies may be dangerous to humans, but sometimes humans are nearly as dangerous for kelpies. 10 He just mutters repetitively while mending trousers before a passerby hits him in the head, making him revert and run off.
9 The kelpie in the form of “a grey wrinkled old man” doesn’t seem that dangerous.
Advice from a talking dog helps her outwit the kelpie by asking him to first bring her a drink in a sieve. A classic tale has a young woman confronted by a kelpie at evening. 8 Young women were targeted by kelpies who took the form of tall young men looking to steal them away. Those appearing as beautiful women might lure men into the water siren-style, while others transformed into hairy men who took the more direct approach of pouncing and crushing victims on land. 7 Generally, though, the best course of action is to leave any strange horses near water alone. 6 And one tale has a young woman talk a kelpie into releasing her so she can finish her knitting. 5 In one tale, a man tricked by a kelpie simply wrestles the creature until they happen into shallow water. The most obvious escape is cutting off your hand. 4 This doesn’t mean there’s no hope if you encounter a kelpie. Just touching them can spell your doom, as some people stroke the kelpie’s coat only to find their hands stuck. 3 If a human, especially a child, is unwise enough to get on their backs, they bolt for the nearest river or pool, dragging their rider under to drown or even eat them. They generally take the form of a white, black, or gray horse, 2 sometimes with a dripping mane. Kelpies are shape-shifters, so it’s hard to say what their true form looks like. Most legends of the kelpie carry a clear warning: don’t go near. It may confuse for those expecting Tinkerbell and disappoint those who prefer other terms, but I hope it works well enough. My personal favorite is “fae,” the root of the original French “faerie.” 1 However, after several posts brushed past the subject, I decided to use something quickly recognizable rather than pausing to explain “fae” every time. For this reason, some prefer to use alternate terms. They were simply wild and had their own agendas, not always in line with those of humans. These beings weren’t necessarily good or evil. Yet it originally covered a wide range of creatures and cultures from a world just sideways from our own. The word “fairy” often conjures up images of tiny, winged, Tinkerbell-like creatures who are generally sweet, mildly mischievous, and helpful to human beings. I’ve used the term “fairy” in several posts up to now, but since this is my first deep dive into a creature of that ilk, it’s time I explained my views on that word.
So today, let’s take a breath and dare to swim with the kelpie.
They are wild, it’s true, but they still have a complex intelligence hidden deep within their shifting appearance. Yet like many fairy beings, kelpies are more than mere monsters up close. They are fairy horses, though if you’re thinking of innocent winged ponies, you’d best think again. Kelpies, horse-shaped water spirits, are among the better known, and they even have connections to one of Scotland’s most famous monsters. Many dangerous creatures haunt the mythical landscape of Scotland.