Originating from Orkney and United Kingdom folklore, a Selkie is a gentle water spirit believed to live in the sea as a seal, but once on land, they fully assume human form.
They must shed their seal skins to become human but should always keep their pelt close by otherwise, they will remain in human form forever.
According to some legends, Selkie are fallen angels who were too pure to be condemned to Hell and instead fell to the shoreline of Earth. They’re often described as beautiful and doe-eyed.
Other folklore stories warn humans from shedding Selkie blood, or wild and violent storms will claim many human lives at sea.
Haunted South: Hauntings, Urban Legends, History, Folklore, Mythology and Southern Folk Magic 