kelpien.1
/ˈkɛlpi/, U.S. /ˈkɛlpi/, Scottish English /ˈkɛlpɪ/ Scottish.
The Lowland Scottish name of a fabled water-spirit or demon assuming various shapes, but usually appearing in that of a horse. Also water-kelpie (see first element).The kelpie is reputed to haunt lakes and rivers, and to take delight in, or even to bring about, the drowning of travellers and others.The beliefs relating to the kelpie are essentially the same as those connected with the Danish and Norwegian nøkken, and the Icelandic nykur or nennir; but in Scotland the kelpie was sometimes held to render assistance to millers by keeping the mill going during the night.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > fairy or elf > [noun] > nature-spirit > inhabiting water > kelpie
kelpiea1759
river horse1851
water horse1893
a1759 W. Collins in Trans. Royal Soc. Edinb. (1788) 1 ii. 72 Drowned by the Kaelpie's wrath.
1792 R. Burns Let. 10 Sept. (2003) II. 145 Be thou a Kelpie, haunting the ford, or ferry.
1805 W. Scott Lay of Last Minstrel vi. xxiii. 184 But the Kelpy rung, and the Mermaid sung, The dirge of lovely Rosabelle.
1813 J. Hogg Queen's Wake iii. 204 The darksome pool..Was now no more the kelpies' home.
1881 W. Gregor Notes Folk-lore N.-E. Scotl. 66 (E.D.D.) The wife..tried to dissuade him under the fear that Kelpie would carry him off to his pool.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1901; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
kelpien.2
/ˈkɛlpi/, U.S. /ˈkɛlpi/, Australian English /ˈkelpi/ Australian.
A smooth-coated, prick-eared, Australian sheep-dog, which may be black, black-and-tan, blue, or red; first bred from imported Scottish collies about 1870.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > sheepdog > [noun] > kelpie
Australian sheepdog1901
kelpie1907
barb1926
1907 R. Leighton New Bk. Dog 472/2 The Kelpie..is not perhaps an example of high, scientific breeding; but he is a useful, presentable dog.
1930 W. K. Hancock Australia xiii. 289 The Australian kelpie, bred from judicious crossing of smooth-haired Scots collie (with a slight strain of fox), and the native dingo.
1934 Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Feb. 40/2 Lassie was, like all kelpies, highly strung, with brains under her broad, thin-boned skull.
1946 F. D. Davison Dusty (1947) iii. 33 Fine dogs,..black kelpies and red, barbs and border collies.
1971 F. Hamilton World Encycl. Dogs 74 Kelpies were bred back in the early days of settlement from the Collie type dogs which came to Australia with the early farmers.
1972 Southerly 32 9 A kelpie and a blue cattle dog had raced to meet them, barking frantically.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1a1759n.21907