|
Author
|
Comment
|
Casey
Cothran
(6/1/04 3:14 pm)
|
Selkies
I've been looking back through the archives, but I keep getting distracted and then losing my place! Have there been any discussions of selkies (people that turn into seals) on the board?
If not ... Does anyone know anything about the history of this myth? Might anyone recommend any good websites that discuss the topic?
Thanks so much!
Kindest regards,
casey
|
Laura
McCaffrey
Registered User
(6/1/04 6:40 pm)
|
Re: Selkies
If your looking for some great info on selkies can be found at:
www.orkneyjar.com
Briggs's An Encyclopedia of Fairies has some selkie info. In her entry "selkies" she says that like other Scottish fairies, selkies were angels supposed to have been "driven out of Heaven for some lesser fault, but not bad enough for Hell." Another explanation was that they were "a human race, banished to the sea for their sins." She also describes the relationship/confusion between mermaids and selkies. In her entry on "seal maidens," she says that they're "among the most recent of the traditions of the fairy brides."
LauraMc
|
Casey
Cothran
(6/1/04 6:43 pm)
|
Thanks!
That is a great site; much better than the ones I was coming up with while I searched. Thank you so much!
|
AlisonPegg
Registered User
(6/2/04 2:47 am)
|
Re: Selkies
My family is originally from Skye, where there are many tales about selkies or silkies. Here is one you might enjoy....
The
Strange Tale of Seal Island
All the best
Alison
|
Leibosan
(6/2/04 1:01 pm)
|
Selkies
This is a good site, with links to other sites on selkies:
echoes.devin.com/selkie.selkie.html
Sandi
|
Erica
Carlson
Registered User
(6/2/04 11:22 pm)
|
Re: Selkies
When searching this sight, you might also want to try variant spellings: selchies, silkies, or even roan--I'm probably missing a couple, but creativity and persistance are good when searching via computer...
Erica
|
selkie
no
Registered User
(6/13/04 4:57 pm)
|
Re: Selkies
Hi!
The place to search for selkie-stories i the Orkney's, there you find all kinds of selkie-stories. For instance in "Orkney & Shetland Islands"; volume III in the series County Folklore, by G. F. Black from 1903.
The tale about the selkie who is forced to marry a man who has stolen
her seal skin and vanishes once she recovers it, is found in various
locations. The oldest version that is known today was written by
Jón Guðmundsson lærði (1574-1658) in his "Samantektir um skilning
á Eddu" from 1641. This happened on Iceland, and I find it
quite possible that this kind of tale featuring a selkie originated
in Iceland. You`ll find the tale translated to English in the recently
published "The Folk-Stories of Iceland" (Einar Ólafur
Sveinsson, 2003). The whole "Samantektir um skilning á Eddu"
was published in 1998 by Einar G. Pétursson - in Icelandic though.
Another Icelandic version of this tale was written by the well-known
collector Jón Árnason (and/or his comrade Magnús Grímson, who one
often fails to mention) in the 19th century. This version has been
published several times in English and Danish, and possibly other
languages.
The British collector Patric Kennedy also includes a version of this tale in his "Legendary Fiction of the Irish Celts" from 1866. Lots of more recently British versions, that are often beautifully told, seam to exist, like Winifred Finlays "MacCodrum and the seal maiden" from 1969 (in "Folk Tales From Moor and Mountain").
The most well known version to day must be Clarissa Pinkola Estes`, included in "Women Who Runs With Wolves". A little bit too Jungian for my taste, but very interesting with regard to the popularity the book has brought to this tale and other tales that are included in it. I hear her tales told orally from time to time, and the peculiar thing is that the storytellers don`t change much, but cling to her words, or rather her pictures. It`s obvious that she has touched something with a lot of people.
I`m very interested in selkie-tales myself, so if anyone has suggestions on where to find more of them, or if you have a tale yourselves, please please post them right here!
Selkie
|
selkie
no
Registered User
(6/13/04 5:02 pm)
|
Re: Selkies
I don`t know where the smiley in my recent post came from. I meant to write the numer 8. Jón Guðmundsson lærði died in 1658.
Selkie
|
janeyolen
Registered User
(6/13/04 7:04 pm)
|
my book
For a discussion of selchies, see my book (written with Shulamith Oppenheim) called THE FISH PRINCE & Other Mermen stories.
Jane
|
redtriskell
Registered User
(6/15/04 11:23 pm)
|
selkies and movies
I am not usually a fan of this type of story done on film. Usually
they seem to lose something vital on celluloid. That said, I must
highly reccommend "The Secret of Roan Inish" for a stunning
story that combines the selkie lore of Ireland with a beautiful
tale about a girl and her family. This movie, which I happened upon
by accident, made me go looking for selkie stories so I could find
out what I'd been missing. I can't praise this film strongly enough.
Suffice it to say I made my honey (who, I assure you, is not the
Celtic myth lover I am) watch it with me. I even paused it when
he left the room so he wouldn't miss anything. Anyway, if you love
these types of stories and the musical lilt of English when spoken
by the Irish, I suggest renting this movie as soon as possible.
It's usually hiding in the family or kids section of the video store.
|
Casey
Cothran
(6/16/04 8:27 pm)
|
Thank you!
This has all been so helpful! I truly appreciate all of your suggestions.
And Alison Pegg -- this was a lovely tale. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
casey
|
Terri
Windling
Registered User
(6/19/04 9:18 am)
|
Re: Thank you!
Laurie J. Marks has a great new story online based on the Scottish ballad The Great Selchie of Sule Skerry. You can find it at:
www.endicott-studio.com/jMA04Summer/rrOceanLovedMargie.html
John Crowley also wrote a lovely story based on the ballad which was reprinted in Volume 16 of The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror.
|
