(New page: The '''Shellycoat''' is a Scottish bogeyman who haunts the rivers and streams. ==Etymology== The name comes from the coat of shells these creatures are said to wear, which rattle upon mo...) |
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[[Category: Scottish mythology]] | [[Category: Scottish mythology]] | ||
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Revision as of 23:59, 1 November 2009
The Shellycoat is a Scottish bogeyman who haunts the rivers and streams.
Etymology
The name comes from the coat of shells these creatures are said to wear, which rattle upon movement.
Description
The shellycoat is covered with shells, with long arms and fingers, a large flat nose and thin, wet hair. A shellycoat's body is always damp and clammy. It rattle when he moves, announcing his presence and often smells slightly of stagnant water.
Behavior
The shellycoat shares many of the traits of the Brag, Kelpie and Nix. He is playful, but rather harmless. One of his favorite trick is to mislead wanderers and put them on the wrong track.
Place
Many places on the coast of Scotland have names that reference the shellycoat. Supposedly, shellycoats are particularly fond of the area around the river Hermitage, in Liddesdale.
Reference
- Briggs, Katharine Mary. The Fairies in English Tradition and Literature. University of Chicago Press, London, 1967.