Water Horses

Water horses (or waterhorses in some folklore) are mythical creatures with the appearance of horses that reside around river lochs, lake lochs and seas - anywhere there is a water. They are dangerous predatory creatures said to drown and eat humans in the water.

Kelpies


The Kelpies, also called "Water Kelpies", are a type of water spirits described in the folklore of both Scotland and Ireland, and they are said to haunt rivers and lochs and were usually malevolent - although rare cases of benevolent or neutral Kelpies exist. Although dangerous the Kelpies was not regarded as evil as the Each Uisge creatures, which was a similar type of water-demons in Scottish mythology.

A Kelpie often took the form of a lost pony with either black or white pelt, in each form it was said to have a mane that was constantly wet - if required a Kelpie could take the form of an attractive woman or man to lure people to their fate and the spirit specialized in drowning its victims before devouring them, leaving only a heart or liver behind.

While in the form of a pony, a Kelpie was said to tempt people to ride it but as soon as their victim touched the creature they would become stuck as if glued onto the beast, the Kelpie would then go into a charge towards the nearest body of water, leaping into it and drowning its unwilling rider before feasting.

Like many of Scotland's legendary demons, the Kelpie is regarded as a type of fairy as well as a spirit of the dead, presumably that of people or animals that have drowned - they were greatly feared by those who believed in them and even in fairly recent times some people were afraid of approaching unfamiliar ponies in the wild.

Ceffyl Dŵr

 * See Ceffyl Dŵr.

Nucklelavee

 * See Nuckelavee.

Each Uisge / Aughisky

 * See Each Uisge.

Bäckahäst or Bækhest
Bäckahäst or Bækhest (meaning brook horse) is a water horse from Scandinavian myth. It is often described as a majestic and graceful white horse that appears near river lochs, particularly during when weather is foggy. Anyone who climbs onto its back would not be able to get off again. The horse would then leap into the river, drowning its rider. The Bäckahäst can be harnessed and made to plough, either because it tricks its potential rider or because the person tricks the creature into wearing the harness: there is a tale of Bäckahäst attempted to trick a maid into riding it but the maid, realizing the creature for what it is, steadfastly refused and threatened the brook horse into ploughing. The brook horse, then traded its place with the farm horse, and using its supernatural agility, finished the ploughing in a blink of an eye. No sooner than finishing its labor Bäckahäst rushes onto the lake, with the maid and the plough attached to and being dragged by the creature. Lucky for the maid she had a piece of steel in her pocket, making the sign of the cross. Immediately she fell down on the ground, and she saw Bäckahäst diving into the lake with the plough. She heard a frustrated neighing when Bäckahäst realized that his trick failed.

Wihwin
Wihwin is a malevolent water spirit from Central America, particularly associated with the Miskito tribe. Although normally a demon residing on the sea, it prowls through mountain ridges during the summer months. This equine monster is said to possess "jaws fenced round with horrid teeth", which it uses to consume humans and other prey it finds on its nocturnal hunts.