selkie
Folklore's transforming seal
A selkie is a mythical creature from Scottish and Irish folklore that lives as a seal in the sea but can shed its skin to take human form on land.
Stories typically involve a human who hides a selkie's skin to prevent their return to the sea, trapping them in an unhappy marriage.
The selkie finally found her skin and slipped back into the waves.
Unverified traditional tale
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- taleSpoken or written narrative
- fableMoral tale with animals
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
lore · ballad · oral tradition · folk tale · storytelling · Scottish folklore · Irish folklore · Orkney
Marine mammal hide
- pinnipedFlippered marine mammal group
- flippersFoot-worn swim aids
- blubberMarine mammal fat
- marine mammalWarm-blooded ocean dweller
rookery · haul-out · diving · barking · pelt · fur · whiskers · swimming
Land-water boundary
- beachSandy waterside margin
- seaSaltwater body, not ocean
- wavesTraveling energy disturbances
- tideOcean's cyclical swell
cliffs · cove · rocky shore · island · harbor · fishing village · ocean · seaweed
Intense, persistent desire
- tragic lovePassion ending in loss
- forbidden loveRomance society prohibits
- childrenYoung human beings
- abandonmentAct of leaving permanently
yearning · bittersweet · devotion · heartbreak · secret · discovery · escape · freedom
Magically change physical form
- sealskinMarine mammal hide
- sheddingLosing outer covering
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- human formA person's physical appearance
transfiguration · change · morph · transmutation · duality · reveal · disguise · curse
Fish-tailed ocean woman
- mermanHalf-human sea creature
- merfolkMythical aquatic humanoids
- sirenWailing alert device
- swan maidenFolklore shapeshifter, waterfowl form
kelpie · water spirit · shape-shifter · silkie · undine · water nymph
legend
Unverified traditional tale
saga · lore · ballad · oral tradition · folk tale · storytelling · Scottish folklore · Irish folklore · Orkney · Shetland
sealskin
Marine mammal hide
marine mammal · rookery · haul-out · diving · barking · pelt · fur · whiskers · swimming · fish-eating
shoreline
Land-water boundary
tide · cliffs · cove · rocky shore · island · harbor · fishing village · ocean · seaweed · kelp
longing
Intense, persistent desire
- tragic lovePassion ending in loss
- forbidden loveRomance society prohibits
- childrenYoung human beings
abandonment · yearning · bittersweet · devotion · heartbreak · secret · discovery · escape · freedom · sorrow
shapeshift
Magically change physical form
- sealskinMarine mammal hide
- sheddingLosing outer covering
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
human form · transfiguration · change · morph · transmutation · duality · reveal · disguise · curse · enchantment
mermaid
Fish-tailed ocean woman
swan maiden · kelpie · water spirit · shape-shifter · silkie · undine · water nymph
- mythical creaturesdragon, dragons, vampire, vampires, werewolf
- magical transformationshapeshifting, metamorphosis, polymorph, transfiguration, transmogrification
- mythic beingscentaur, mermaid, merman, minotaur, satyr
- mythical beingsdragons, dragon, unicorns, unicorn, phoenix
- sea lorekraken, mermaids, mermaid, sea serpent, sirens
- humanoidshumanoid, elf, dwarf, goblin, orc
selkiephoenix
Self-immolating, regenerating bird
salamander · firebird · fire elemental · dragon · thunderbird