10. Selkies
Selkies are mythological creatures found in Scottish and Irish folklore and they are essentially seals who live in the sea, but can remove their skin to reveal a human form and can live on land. There are different variations of the origin of a selkie so feel free to take your pick. Selkies were thought to have been humans who had drowned at sea and on one night of the year, they are allowed to return to land as their human self. Other theories are that selkies are humans who did something extremely naughty when they were a human - a misdemeanour that consequently doomed them to take on the form of a seal for all eternity as a punishment. Female selkies are known to attract human husbands and can start a family on land. However, the husband must hide the seal skin from her so that she can stay as a human because if it is found, then she will take on her selkie form and return to the sea forever as the sea if their true love. How one begins that conversation is incomprehensible "so, here's the thing... I'm sort of a selkie."
Sara Weir
Lover of Tolkien's world, Harry Potter and baked goods. A camel once put his head on my shoulder and it was the best day ever. sara@whatculture.com
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