|
The each-uisge (, literally "water horse") is a mythological Scottish water spirit, called the ''each-uisce'' (anglicized as ''aughisky'') or Ech-Ushkya in Ireland. It is similar to the kelpie, but far more vicious. ==History== The each-uisge, a supernatural water horse found in the Highlands of Scotland, has been described as "perhaps the fiercest and most dangerous of all the water-horses" by folklorist Katharine Briggs. Often mistaken for the kelpie (which inhabits streams and rivers), the each-uisge lives in the sea, sea lochs, and fresh water lochs.〔 The each-uisge is a shape-shifter, disguising itself as a fine horse, pony, handsome man or enormous bird.〔 If, while in horse form, a man mounts it, he is only safe as long as the each-uisge is ridden in the interior of land. However, the merest glimpse or smell of water means the end of the rider: the each-uisge's skin becomes adhesive and the creature immediately goes to the deepest part of the loch with its victim. After the victim has drowned, the each-uisge tears him apart and devours the entire body except for the liver, which floats to the surface.〔 In its human form it is said to appear as a handsome man, and can be recognised as a mythological creature only by the water weeds,〔 〕 or profuse sand and mud in its hair. Because of this, people in the Highlands were often wary of lone animals and strangers by the water's edge, near where the each-uisge was reputed to live. Cnoc-na-Bèist ("hillock of the monster") is the name of a knoll on the Isle of Lewis where an Each-uisge was slain by the brother of a woman it tried to seduce, by a freshwater loch, Loch-à-Mhuileinn ("Loch of the mill").〔 Along with its human victims, cattle and sheep were also often prey to the each-uisge, and it could be lured out of the water by the smell of roasted meat. One story from McKay's ''More West Highland Tales'' runs thus: 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Each-uisge」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|