Kelpie

Fifth Conversation from the Bestiary

Kelpie: Noun. A shapeshifting water spirit in Irish and Scottish folklore. In the form of a horse it tempts mortals to climb on its back, whereupon it gallops back into the water to drown and devour its victim, who is unable to escape due to being magically stuck to the creature’s skin. In the form of a young man the kelpie is a seducer, and no less hungry. In either form the kelpie can be identified by weeds or sand in its hair or mane.

The Kelpie does not know the difference between loving and drowning and consuming. All passions are one to him. Her hands are in his hair now and his horse-body is straining to break through his man-body but he waits. He is patient. He knows the difference between horse and man, but only just.

Her hands are in his hair and they have been many times before but she feels at last the grit of sand and the slick leather of seaweed and they stop for a moment. She is still tangled there with him and the gulls still cry and the sea still tells her to hush, to take care, to think.

She obeys. She thinks of this tall stranger who does not speak of home and the sea green eyes he aims at the sky and the cold white skin beside her. Again her hands twist and play in the darkness. Quickly, quickly, and trembling. Where is her knife, her little knife? There in that bundle of cloth on the beach. There where she left it. Not far, too far.

Now his hands come alive and they are not idly busy like her own. He does not move without purpose. His eyes meet hers. The body beneath his body aches to run.

Do you love me?

She does not believe this is what she meant to ask.

Yes, he says, and she believes he means it, and she knows what comes next.

The great black horse is running and his mane is a net with one pale and struggling fish as its prize and her free hand is clever enough to snatch the knife before it is out of reach again but it is foolish in the cutting and in the sea he devours what he kissed and thinks it the same and on the shore she stands and bleeds.

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