What Are Selkies?
Selkies are creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish mythology – the legend thought to have origins in the Orkney islands.
They are said to be seals by day and then shed their skins to become human-like beings at night. In their human form they are said to be extremely beautiful, with shining black hair and bewitching eyes.
After sunset they come to remote shores and throw off their seal skins to enjoy themselves as mortals.
Female selkies were believed to obey mortal men who seized their seal skins. They are said to make good wives and mothers, and if they regain their seal skins and are then able to return to the sea they always remember their mortal families and swim near the land to see them.
Posted on Tue 30th Jun 2009 21:58:00