Beware the Kelpies: The Lure of Scotland's Shape-Shifting Creatures

Kelpies, the dangerous shape-shifting water creatures from Scottish folklore, take center stage in this intriguing discussion. These beings often appear as beautiful horses, enticing unsuspecting humans to mount them before leading them to a watery demise. The episode explores the cultural significance of kelpies in Scotland, highlighting their presence in folklore and their association with various bodies of water, including the famous Loch Ness. Listeners will learn about the telltale signs of a kelpie, such as seaweed hair and hooved feet, and the enchanting allure these creatures possess. Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the iconic kelpie sculptures in Falkirk, the episode emphasizes their impact on Scottish tourism and invites audiences to reflect on the cautionary tales surrounding these mythical beings.

In this Episode Jodie Paterson discussed Kelpies, their origin and how they have affected Scottish tourism

Episode Transcript

(00:12):
Hello and welcome to anotherepisode of Folklore and Mythology.
My name isJodiPattersonandtodaywearegoing tobetalking
aboutkelpies. Now,thekelpiesthatyoumightbefamiliarwith in Scotland
lieinFalkirk.TheyaretwogiantkelpieheadssculptedbyAndyScott.Now, heisanartistwhochosethe
kelpies as hisinspiration.Theyare madeofsteeland theysit30foot
high.Theyaregenuinelyquiteimpressive. Butwhatare kelpiesandwhyaretheyculturallysignificanttoScotland?Well,
that'swhatwe'regoingtotalkabouttoday.Theyshowupmostly inScottishfolklore.Soakelpieisadangerousshapeshiftingwatercreaturethat
canappearonlandasahorse.Thekelpiechooseshumanvictimsandappears tothemasabeautifulgreyorwhitehorse.And
accordingtosomeofthefolktales,thekelpiecanalsoshapeshiftintohumanform,usuallya man.
Andthetelltalesignisthathishairwillbe seaweedorhisfeetwillbe
hooves.Now,inScotland,almosteverysizablebodyofwater hasstoriesofakelpie,including
LochNess.Now,thekelpieisactuallythemostcommonwaterspiritinScottishfolkloreand itsnameisattributedtoseveral
different formsinnarrativesrecordedthroughoutthecountry. Now,whatthekelpiedoesisitenticeshumans
togoonitsbackandthenitwalksthemintothewaterand drownsthem.So
howdotheyenticethehumans?Well,thesehorsesarebeautiful.Ifyouseeawhitehorse acrossafieldandit'smaking
eyecontactwithyou,andit isthemostbeautifulhorseyou'veeverseen,beware. Thatcould
beakelpieandyoucan'thelpit.Onceyou've madeeye
contact,it'stoolate.You'realready walkingtowardsthekelpieandyouwill
mount the kelpieanditwilltakeyou toyourwaterygrave.Andtheotherwaythattheyallurepeopleisby
takingthehumanform.Although,asstated before,
theymayhaveseaweedforhairandhoovesasfeet,theymaynotbe quite
asalluringasabeautifulhorse.Sothe nexttimeyousee ahorseandyouwanttorideit,
justremember thetaleofthekelpies.Trytosteerclearand whatever
youdo,donotmakeeyecontact.Ihopeyou'veenjoyedthisepisodeof FolkloreMythology.Itwassuperfun
towrite and research.Andone ofthereasons I'vedoneit isbecausethekelpiesculpturesareactually
celebratingtheir10yearanniversarytoday. AndI'mgoingtouploadthisepisode
todayaswell.Ido thinktheyhavedoneatremendousamountforScottishtourism,andIdothink theyaredefinitelyworth
visitingifyougetachance.Allright.I'llcatchyou. NexttimeonFolkloreMythology.ThankyoandwelcometoanotherepisodeofFolkloreandMythology.MynameisJodyPattersonandtodaywearegoingtobetalkingaboutkelpies.Now,thekelpiesthatyoumightbefamiliarwithinScotlandlieinFalkirk.TheyaretwogiantkelpieheadssculptedbyAndyScott.Now,heisanartistwhochosethekelpiesashisinspiration.Theyaremadeofsteelandtheysit30foothigh.Theyaregenuinelyquiteimpressive.ButwhatarekelpiesandwhyaretheyculturallysignificanttoScotland?Well,that'swhatwe'regoingtotalkabouttoday.TheyshowupmostlyinScottishfolklore.Soakelpieisadangerousshapeshiftingwatercreaturethatcanappearonlandasahorse.Thekelpiechooseshumanvictimsandappearstothemasabeautifulgreyorwhitehorse.Andaccordingtosomeofthefolktales,thekelpiecanalsoshapeshiftintohumanform,usuallyaman.Andthetelltalesignisthathishairwillbeseaweedorhisfeetwillbehooves.Now,inScotland,almosteverysizablebodyofwaterhasstoriesofakelpie,includingLochNess.Now,thekelpieisactuallythemostcommonwaterspiritinScottishfolkloreanditsnameisattributedtoseveraldifferentformsinnarrativesrecordedthroughoutthecountry.Now,whatthekelpiedoesisitenticeshumanstogoonitsbackandthenitwalksthemintothewateranddrownsthem.Sohowdotheyenticethehumans?Well,thesehorsesarebeautiful.Ifyouseeawhitehorseacrossafieldandit'smakingeyecontactwithyou,anditisthemostbeautifulhorseyou'veeverseen,beware.Thatcouldbeakelpieandyoucan'thelpit.Onceyou'vemadeeyecontact,it'stoolate.You'realreadywalkingtowardsthekelpieandyouwillmountthekelpieanditwilltakeyoutoyourwaterygrave.Andtheotherwaythattheyallurepeopleisbytakingthehumanform.Although,asstatedbefore,theymayhaveseaweedforhairandhoovesasfeet,theymaynotbequiteasalluringasabeautifulhorse.Sothenexttimeyouseeahorseandyouwanttorideit,justrememberthetaleofthekelpies.Trytosteerclearandwhateveryoudo,donotmakeeyecontact.Ihopeyou'veenjoyedthisepisodeofFolkloreMythology.Itwassuperfuntowriteandresearch.AndoneofthereasonsI'vedoneitisbecausethekelpiesculpturesareactuallycelebratingtheir10yearanniversarytoday.AndI'mgoingtouploadthisepisodetodayaswell.IdothinktheyhavedoneatremendousamountforScottishtourism,andIdothinktheyaredefinitelyworthvisitingifyougetachance.Allright.I'llcatchyou.NexttimeonFolkloreMythology.Thankyou.