Morag is a reported monster or possibly mermaid residing in Loch Morar and a cultural icon in Scotland. Although not as famous as her fellow loch monster Nessie she is reportedly more aggressive and more commonly sighted than her and appears to have more fantastical origins.
Legend[]
Ancient Folklore[]
In ancient folklore Morag is often depicted as being a beautiful mermaid who's sighting was something to be dreaded as she was essentially something of a grim reaper for the sea, being feared by many sailors due to the legend that one would inevitably end up drowning after catching a glimpse of her.
Modern Folklore[]
In modern folklore the being known as Morag has instead by reported as being a literal monster. One particularly famous encounter with the creature back in 1969 saw Duncan McDonnel and William Simpson being caught in a confrontation with the beast after accidentally colliding with her on their speedboat. Infuriated she arose and began attacking the two astonished men with McDonnel trying to fend her off with his oar before Simpson managed to scare her off by firing at her with his shotgun. Following this many others have reported seeing or encountering something resembling Morag and she has become a frequent talking point for locals although they have acknowledged and some are actually grateful that she's not as well-known or as much of a tourist trap as Nessie is.
Connection to Nessie[]
While many of Scotland's loch have been reported as having monsters residing in them Morag is by far the most famous aside from Nessie herself, both creatures are very similarly depicted in recent years however, being large amphibians with almost dinosaur like appearances. This is strange as it's inconsistent with Morag's history as a mermaid while Nessie appears to have evolved with time from various different forms based on public recounts so it's possible that both creatures are simply depicted as what they want the world to see them as at given times.
In terms of their personalities Morag appears to be more malicious and temperamental than Nessie who is almost universally seen as peaceful yet still dangerous and while the latter is a beloved and iconic figure Morag is less known and was even seen as a dark omen in the past, however in the modern day locals appear to be quite fond of the Morag legend and have suggested that her sighting can be seen as good luck.
Theories[]
Like Nessie several theories have been attributed to what Morag is, some of these include:
- A mermaid (old sightings only)
- A kelpie
- A water horse
- A large eel
- A prehistoric animal
- A demon
- Some kind of incredibly large fish (possibly a Wel's Catfish like Nessie is guessed as)
- An unidentified deep sea beast (common theory with most loch, lake and sea monsters)
Trivia[]
- Her name is a pun on both of the name of the Loch and the eponymous forename native to Scotland.
- Morag is the second most famous out of Scotland's loch monsters.
