Irish dopers: Tell me about the significance of Selkies?

[Phlosphr]

For those who don’t know Selkies are seals that shed their skin and turn into a woman, and then vice the verse… If you read the quick snippet about them they come from centuries of lore in the Irish and Scottish Isles and Finnish lands.

What I’d like to know is how many of your grand parent’s grand parents knew and spoke about these mythical beasts. The reason I ask, is because when I was getting married my wife decided it would be a good idea to sit and tell my old uncle Gaelin about a dream she had where she was a seal, being chased by evil beings. Mind you Gaelin had had several (9) pints by this time at least and he was instantly enamored with my wife. Saying that she was a Selkie, and that she’d made the right choice by picking this young lad (me) and on and on in a stuper he went on.

Anyway, it’s been just under 10 years and we still get selkie emails, selkie cards, etc…etc…

What do people really think about these myths? How wishy washy is it in terms of actual lore?

[Cunctator]

@Phlosphr

What I’d like to know is how many of your grand parent’s grand parents knew and spoke about these mythical beasts.

I remember a great-aunt of mine once telling me about selkies when I was about seven or eight years old. She was Australian born but of Irish descent.

[Phlosphr]

Well not a lot of responses so I’ll assume the Uncle is just be a bit odd. Thanks Cunctator, glad we’re not the only ones.

[Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor]

Ummm…Dude, it’s around Midnight or 3AM in Ireland right now.

Be patient.

Also, Selkies appear in Scots legends, too.

[What_Exit]

You may want to rent The Secret of Roan Inish (1994). A great little known movie and related to your Op.

I met a Selkie once, she was a Marine Biologist. Nice girl, smart and pretty. She was the sister of a good friend. She lived in Washington State though and not Scotland.

Jim

[Celyn]

@Phlosphr

Well not a lot of responses so I’ll assume the Uncle is just be a bit odd. Thanks Cunctator, glad we’re not the only ones.

No, no, your uncle is not odd, well not any odder than you previously thought him anyway. (I mean, continuing to send you cards and so on that always haves selkies/silkies on them does sound as though the novelty would wear off after a while.)

I just don’t know what you meant by “wishy-washy in terms of folklore”. Do you mean, have most people encountered them in stories or songs? In that case yes, anyone who has any interest at all in folklore would know about selkies. But if “wishy-washy” means" do we often meet people who are seals and vice versa?", well, no, not that I’ve noticed.

Here is the tale/ballad that first springs to mind:

Orkneyjar - The Great Selkie o' Suleskerry Version 1

n Norway land there lived a maid,
“Hush, ba, loo lillie” this maid began,
“I know not where my baby’s father is,
Or by land or sea does he travel in.”

It happened on a certain day,
When this fair lady fell fast asleep,
That in cam’ a good grey silkie,
And set him down at her bed feet.

Saying “Awak’, awak’ my pretty fair maid,
For oh, how sound as thou dost sleep,
An’ I’ll tell thee where thy baby’s father is,
He’s sittin’ close at thy bed feet.”

“I pray come tell to me thy name,
Oh, tell me where does thy dwelling be?”
"My name is good Hill Marliner,
And I earn my livin’ oot o’ the sea.

“I am a man upon the land’
I am a silkie in the sea,
An’ when I’m far from every strand,
My dwelling it is Sule Skerry.”

“Alas, alas this woeful fate,
This weary fate that’s been laid on me,
That a man should come from the Wast o’ Hoy,
To the Norway lands to have a bairn with me.”

“My dear I’ll wed thee with a ring,
With a ring, my dear, will I wed wi’ thee.”
“Thoo may go to thee weddings wi’ whom too wilt,
For I’m sure thoo will never wed wi’ me.”

“Thoo will nurse my little wee son
For seven long years upon thy knee;
An’ at the end o’ seven long years
I’ll come back and pay the nurse’s fee.”

She’s nursed her little wee son
For seven long years upon her knee;
An’ at the end o’ seven long years
He came back wi’ gold and white monie.

He says “My dear, I’ll wed thee wi’ a ring,
Wi’ a ring, my dear, I’ll wed wi’ thee.”
“Thoo may go to thee weddings wi’ whom thoo wilt
For I’m sure thoo never will wed wi’ me.”

"But I’ll put a gold chain around his neck,
An’ a gey good gold chain it’ll be,
That if ever he comes to the Norway lands,
Thoo may hae a gey good guess on he.

“An’ thoo will get a gunner good,
An’ a gey good gunner it will be,
An’ he’ll gae out on a May morning
An’ shoot your son an’ the grey silkie.”

Oh, she has got a gunner good,
An’ a gey good gunner it was he.
An’ he gaed oot on a May morning
An’ he shot the son an’ the grey silkie.

“Alas, alas, this woeful fate,
This weary fate that’s been laid on me.”
An’ aince or twice she sobbed and sighed,
An’ her tender heart did brak in three.

N.B. There should be no copyright problem there , of course. That is only one of several versions: you know how folk songs and stories wander and change.

Ah, re-reading, i see that you specifically mention grandparents and great grandparents - can’t help you there, as mine had a tendency to die when I was too young. I hope other members can come along and help.
(And of course, the infamous “kids these days” are more likely to know stuff about television and films and cartoons. The fools!)