Kelpies of the Highland | Ep. 44

Welcome to Believing the Bizarre!

This week we travel to Scotland, although Tyler seems to think Ireland.

If you are traveling along a river and you see a horse…don’t touch that horse! It could be a Kelpie; a shape-shifting mythical creature that lures in human prey and attempts to get humans to touch them so they can drown them and then eat them.

Oh, and the only way to tell whether a horse is truly a horse or if it is a Kelpie is by trying to drown it…as Kelpie cannot drown.

Is this beginning to sound a little ridiculous? We know. And that’s just the beginning! Listen now.

Is Elsa a Kelpie? What’s in the water in Scotland other than ole Nessie? Is the fact that the national animal of Scotland a unicorn signal a deeper darker mystery?

Join us today as we dive into the lore of Kelpies.

Kelpies are shape shifting spirits that dwell near bodies of water in Scotland. Hailing from Celtic folklore these mischievous creatures often appear as black horse-like creatures that are able to attain human form…..mostly. 

It is said though that they appear human with the exception of their feet, which appear as hooves. 

Almost every body of water in Scotland has a kelpie story associated with it, but perhaps the most terrifying one is the one shared with the YouTube Channel Snarled by a young woman going by the name of V. 

I lived with my and grandma in small bucolic village in Scotland until I was 13 years old. Growing up I had never met my father and my mother and grandma never volunteered any information about him and I assumed he had left, realizing the strain of parental duties was too much for him. 

The day before my 13th birthday my mom jokingly asked if I wanted a unicorn for my birthday. As I was starting to bear the end off he horse phase that most girls go through I told her that I would like  some more books

My real birthday wish was for something I didn’t think my mom would want to do. 

One of my favorite things to do was going into the forest behind our house and sitting by my tree diving into one of my books. Which is what I ended up doing. 

I was so engrossed in one of my old favorites that  I barely heard a nearby sound. It sounded like the neigh of a horse. Being I. The forest I found it odd that there would be a horse wandering through our woods. 

So I went looking for the source of the noise and ended up by the river, staring at the most beautiful white horse I had ever seen. It had a smooth long mane and as it turned towards me I eye contact with its inkblack eyes. 

As I stated I felt compelled to move closer to the horse, almost as if it was beckoning me to come nearer. To come ride with him. 

As I slowly approached the horse I heard my mother’s voice calling my name. Her voice brought me back to reality and I waved by to the horse and began to walk back home. 

Later that night I told my family about seeing the white horse. 

“Are you sure you saw a white horse,” my mother asked. “You know the forest can play tricks on you.”

I would later find out how true her statement would be. 

“Of course I’m sure it was a horse.” I said. 

“Well I don’t know what you saw,  it you should probably stay away from the river. It can be dangerous.”

The next morning my mom sang happy birthday to me and said that grandma had gone to town for a surprise and that we’d celebrate later. My mom asked if there was anything special I’d like to do today. I wanted to finish my book in the forest by my tree. 

As I was beginning to dive back into my favorite story again I heard my name being called again. 

A kindly looking young woman was peering around a tree whispering my name. 

“Aren’t you Douglas’ daughter?” She asked. 

“How could you know that!?” I asked incredulously. 

Smiling, she gestured me to follow her. “ He wanted you to have this for your 13th birthday.”

And so I followed her. 

We ended up at the same spot by the river and the same white horse was there.

“It’s yours dear.” She said “happy birthday.”

All of my questions and fears drifted away as I walked towards the horse. The only feeling that remained was excitement. I wanted to ride this horse. 

As I approached the horse I was struck by how amazing beautiful it was.  

I reached to let it’s wet mane. As I tried to pull away I found I was stuck. I couldn’t get my hand back. I began to cry as I struggled to free my hand from being ensnared in this monster’s mane. 

The kindly woman began to laugh maniacally. 

Suddenly a gunshot broke through and silenced her laughing. With the last of her laugh caught in her throat she transformed into a black horse as she fell to the ground dead. 

My grandma stood behind her with a smoking gun in her hand and my smashed birthday cakes her feet. 

She looked at me with sorrow in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She mouthed as tears began to fill her eyes. 

She swung the gun towards me. “Hold still.”

I ducked as the horse screamed and the searing pain ripped through my hand. My flesh burned as the blood sprayed across my face. 

I reached for my injured hand clutching it tightly trying to stop the pain. I suddenly realized my hand was free. I started to move away from the horse as it began to sink into the river. 

After bandaging my hand, grandma told me about the Kelpie. They had me in their clutches and were going to take me into the river. To my death. 

She explained that the same thing happened to my father. He hadn’t left because he was a careless father. He had been taken. By the Kelpie. 

When I asked why we had stayed here knowing that the Kelpies were here, my mother said that they had been in denial. 

We moved to the city shortly after this. Far away from bodies of water and the murderous Kelpie that tried to pull me into a watery grave.