The Selkies of Orkney: Folklore by the Sea
The islands of Orkney, scattered off the north coast of Scotland, are places where sea and story are inseparable. Here, the Atlantic and the North Sea meet in restless tides, shaping lives, livelihoods and legends. Among these tales, none is more haunting than that of the selkies: seal-folk who slip their skins to walk as humans, caught between two worlds.
Creatures of Land and Sea
The word selkie comes from the Scots for “seal”, yet the legend goes far beyond simple animals. According to Orkney folklore, selkies live as seals in the water but, when the moon is full, they can shed their skins on shore to become human.
By day they may be glimpsed basking on rocks, sleek and watchful. By night, villagers told of seeing beautiful men and women dancing on beaches beneath the stars, their seal skins lying hidden nearby. If the skin was stolen, the selkie was trapped in human form — a theme that recurs in many of the old tales.
Love and Longing
Most selkie stories are not about monsters or danger, but about love — and the sorrow that often follows.
One of the most common tales tells of a fisherman who discovers …