Wild Scotland: Seal Girls and Kelpie Water Horses

Shape-shifting water spirit in Scottish folklore

"Kelpie" redirects here. For the steel sculptures in Falkirk, see Kelpies.

This article is about aquatic creatures from Scottish folklore.
For the dog breed, see Australian Kelpie. Kelpie
to Herbert James Draper, 1913

Kelpie

, or
the water kelpie
, is a shape-shifting water spirit that inhabits the lochs and pools of Scotland. This is a Celtic legend; however, analogues exist in other cultures. It is usually described as a creature similar to a black horse, capable of taking on human form. Some sources claim that the kelpie retains its hooves when appearing as a human, leading to its association with the Christian idea of ​​Satan as mentioned by Robert Burns in his 1786 poem "An Appeal to the Devil".

Almost every significant body of water in Scotland has a Kelpie story associated with it, but the most widely reported is that of Loch Ness. Parallels with the common Germanic neck or nixie and Scandinavian bäckahäst have been observed. In a broader sense, the Wihwin of Central America and Australia's Bunyip were seen as analogues. The origins of the belief in vicious water horses are believed to have arisen in human sacrifices once created to appease the gods associated with water, but tales of kelpies also served a practical purpose, keeping children away from dangerous areas of water and warning young women to be wary of beautiful ones strangers.

Kelpies have been depicted in various forms in art and literature, including two 30-metre (100 ft) tall steel sculptures at Falkirk, Kelpies

, completed in October 2013.

Etymology

Etymology of the Scots word kelpie

doubtful, but may be derived from Gaelic
kalp
or
cailpeach
, meaning "heifer" or "foal".
The first recorded use of the term to describe a mythological creature, then spelled kaelpi
, appears in a manuscript ode to William Collins, composed some time before 1759.[1]
and reproduced in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1788.[2] The place names Kelpie Hall and Kelpie Hull are reported in the Dictionary of the Ancient Scots Language
as appearing in the burgh records of 1674 Kirkcudbright.[3]

According to the philosopher Jozef Schmidt,[4] the etymological interpretation of the kelpie

may be related to the medieval word Palfrey, meaning Galloway; horse is one of the common transformations of water (lake) elves.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

The breed has undeniable advantages that have made it popular with many dog ​​breeders.

The advantages include:

• high performance;
• excellent physical fitness;
• getting along with other animals;
• devotion;
• love for older children;
• obedience;
• high intellectual abilities;
• attentiveness.

Along with the advantages, experts highlight a number of disadvantages that should be taken into account when buying a dog.

The disadvantages of kelpies include:

• biting - dogs tend to click their teeth;
• unintentional rough treatment of small children - dogs begin to herd them, treating them roughly or biting their skin;
• aggression - with improper upbringing and lack of training, it can manifest itself towards strangers.

Kelpies are active, strong-willed dogs. The owner must immediately show who is dominant. When showing weakness, dogs can get out of control.

Folk beliefs

Description and general attributes

Douglas Harper, historian and founder of the Internet Dictionary of Etymology, defines kelpie

as “a base name for a demon in the form of a horse.”[5] It is the most common water spirit in Scottish folklore, but the name is attributed to several different forms in stories recorded across the country.[6] The late 19th century saw a growing interest in transcribing folklore, but recorders were inconsistent in spelling and often anglicized words, which could result in different names for the same spirit.[7]

Commentators disagree about the kelpie's aquatic habitat. Folklorists who define kelpies as spirits living near rivers, in contrast to the Celtic water horses living on lakeshores ( each-uisge

), including the 19th century minister Tiree John Gregorson Campbell and the 20th century writers Lewis Spence and Catherine Briggs.[8][9][10]
However, this distinction does not apply universally; Sir Walter Scott, for example, argues that the kelpie's range may extend to lakes.[11][12] MacKillop's Dictionary resolves this discrepancy by stating that the kelpie "was originally thought to live in... streams, and later in any body of water."[13] But this distinction should stand, argues one commentator, who suggests that people are going astray when every uisge
in the "usual practice of translation" in English accounts is called a kelpie,[14] and thus erroneously attributing to the latter the habit of living in lakes

Others associate the term kelpie

with a wide variety of mythical creatures.[6] Analogues in some regions of Scotland include shoopiltee and sass[15] from Shetland and tangs from Orkney; in other parts of the United Kingdom they include Welsh Ceffyl Dŵr and Manx Kabbyl-Ushti. Parallels with the common Germanic neck and Scandinavian bäckahäst have been observed; Nick Middleton o.[16] The Wihwin of Central America[17] and the Australian Bunyip[18] are seen as similar creatures in other parts of the world.

In mythology, the Kelpie is usually described as a powerful and beautiful black horse that inhabits the deep basins of rivers and streams in Scotland, hunting any humans it encounters.[17][19] One of the common distinguishing characteristics of the water kelpie is that its hooves are upside down. compared to the hooves of a normal horse, which is also typical for Nykur

Iceland.[17][20] An Aberdeenshire variation depicts the kelpie as a horse with a mane of snakes,[21] while the resident horse spirit River Spey was white and could lure victims with its singing.[18]

The nature of the creature has been described by Walter Gregor, a folklorist and early member of the Folklore Society,[22] as being "helpful", "harmful" or seeking "human companionship";[23] in some cases, kelpies take their victims into the water, devour them, and the entrails are thrown to the water's edge.[24] In its horse form, the kelpie is able to stretch its back to carry many riders together into the deep;[25] a common theme in tales is several children climbing onto the creature's back while one remains on the shore. Usually a little boy, he pets the horse, but his hand is pressed against its neck. In some variations, the boy cuts off his fingers or hand to free himself; he survives, but the other children are carried away and drowned, with only some of their entrails being discovered later. Such a creature is said to have lived at Glen Keltney in Perthshire and is considered a kelpie by 20th century folklorist Catherine Mary Briggs,[6] but a similar story set in Perthshire has every uisge

as the culprit and drops the little boy's decoration.[26] The guy actually cuts off his finger when an event takes place in Thurso where the culprit is a water kelpie.[27] The same tale set in Sunart in the Highlands gives a specific figure of nine lost children, of whom only the entrails of one were recovered. The surviving boy is rescued again by cutting off his finger, and it is reported that he had a Bible in his pocket. Gregorson Campbell believes that the creature responsible was a waterhorse rather than a kelpie, and the story is "apparently a pious hoax to keep children from wandering around on Sundays".[28]

Kelpie myths usually describe a solitary creature, but the tale, recorded by John F. Campbell in Popular Tales of the Western Highlands

(1860) has a different point of view.
Entitled Drohta na Vugha or Fuoa
, to which the translation given is
fairy bridge or kelpie
, it contains a group of Voughas.
The spirits set about building a bridge across the Dornoch Firth after growing tired of traveling across the water on shells. It was a magnificent structure with golden supports and pillars, but it sank into water and became a treacherous patch of quicksand after a grateful observer tried to bless the kelpies for their work.[29] The same story is recorded by a member of a folklore society and a folklore collector. Charlotte Dempster simply as Kelpie Bridge
(1888) with no mention of Voughas or Fuoah.[30]
Quoting from the same story, Jennifer Westwood, author and folklorist,[31] uses the descriptor water kelpie
, adding that in her opinion, "kelpies here and in some other cases are used loosely to mean something like 'demons' "[32]

The offspring resulting from the mating of a kelpie and a normal horse were unable to drown and could be identified by their shorter than normal ears, a characteristic of the mythical water bull or Tarbh Uisge

in Scottish Gaelic, similar to Manx
Tarroo Ushtey
.[33][34]

Werewolf

Kelpie
to Thomas Millie Dow, 1895

Kelpies have the ability to transform into non-equine forms and can take on the appearance of human figures,[35] which they can disguise as algae in their hair.[17] Gregor described a kelpie that took the form of a wizened old man, constantly muttering to himself as he sat on a bridge and sewed trousers. Believing it to be a kelpie, a passing local struck it on the head, causing it to revert to its horse form and rush back to its lair in a nearby pond.[36] Other sources describe the kelpie, when it appears in human form, as "a rough, shaggy man who leaps after a lone rider, seizes and crushes him", or as tearing and devouring people.[13]

A folk tale from Barra tells of a lonely kelpie who grows into a handsome young man in order to woo a beautiful young girl whom he was determined to take as his wife. But the girl recognizes the young man as a kelpie and takes off his silver necklace (his bridle) while he sleeps. Kelpie immediately takes the form of a horse and the girl takes him home to her father's farm, where he is forced to work for a year. After this time, the girl rides the kelpie to consult the sage, who tells her to return the silver necklace. The sage then asks the kelpie, transformed again into the handsome young man the girl first met, if she had a choice to be a kelpie or a mortal. Kelpie, in turn, asks the girl if she would agree to become his wife if he were a man. She confirms that she would like to, after which the kelpie decides to become a mortal human and the couple are married.[37]

Traditionally, kelpies in human form are male. One of the few stories describing the creature in female form takes place at Conon House in Ross and Cromarty. It tells of a "tall woman, dressed in green," with a "withered, skinny face, always distorted with an angry gaze," who overpowered and drowned a man and a boy after jumping from a stream.[38]

The arrival of Christianity in Scotland in the 6th century led to some folk tales and beliefs being written down by scribes, usually Christian monks, rather than being perpetuated by rumor.[7] Some sources claim that the kelpie retains its hooves even in human form, leading to its association with the Christian concept of Satan, as with the Greek God Frying Pan.[17] Robert Burns refers to such a Satanic association in his "Conversion" to the devil" (1786):

When the towes dissolves the dirty chord " Swim along the icy wall of the jinglin Then the water kelpies chase the ford In your direction The night travelers allur'd To their destruction.

Capture and murder

When the kelpie appeared as a horse without any harness, it could be captured using a halter marked Cross, and its strength could be used for tasks such as transporting heavy millstones.[39] One folk tale describes how the Laird of Morphy caught a kelpie and used it to carry stones to build his castle. When the work was completed, the laird released the kelpie, who was apparently unhappy with his treatment. The curse he cast before leaving - "Sir returned and sair banes / Driving the Laird over the Morphy racks, / The Laird o' Morphy will never prosper / Langs, the kelpie lives" - reputedly led to the disappearance of the Laird family.[40] It is said that some kelpies were equipped with a bridle and sometimes a saddle, and looked attractively ready to ride, but if mounted they would run away and drown their riders. If the kelpie has already been contained, exorcism can be achieved by removing it.[41] A bridle taken from a kelpie was imbued with magical properties and, if waved at someone, could turn that person into a horse or pony.[42]

As in the cinematic werewolf,[43] a kelpie can be killed by shooting it with a silver bullet, after which it is revealed to be nothing more than "turf and a soft, jellyfish-like mass", according to a report published by Spence.[44] When a blacksmith's family became frightened by the repeated appearances of a water kelpie at their cottage, the blacksmith managed to turn it into "a pile of starch or something like that" by piercing the spirit's sides with two sharp iron spears that had been heated in a fire.[45]

Baobang-sit

Another sinister female figure from Scottish folklore is the baoban-sit. This is a creature with the appearance of a beautiful young maiden (in some sources she has hooves instead of legs), sucking blood from her victims. Found most frequently in the folklore of the Scottish Highlands. According to legends, the baobang sit is something like a bloodthirsty fairy or just a local type of vampire. She is sometimes also called the White Woman of the Highlands.

Baobang-sit. (themonsterblogofmonsters.tumblr.com)

Her victims are men, often hunters, since traces of the blood of killed animals on their clothes attract the vampire by smell. With its beauty and magical charms, the baobang-sith lures victims into its nets, and then tears the skin with its long nails, after which it drinks blood from the wound until the unfortunate person dies. Sometimes the baobang-sit also attacks women, who, after the attack, themselves turn into a dangerous blood-sucking creature. You can meet this vampire only in the dark; during the day they hide from the sun's rays. It is believed that the baobang sit goes hunting only once a year.

Loch Ness

Main article: Loch Ness Monster

Almost every significant Scottish body of water has a kelpie story associated with it,[12][39] but the most widely reported is the Loch Ness kelpie. Several stories of mythical spirits and monsters are associated with the area around the lake, dating back to 6th-century reports of Saint Columba defeating a monster on the banks of the River Nessus.[46] Kelpies of the early 19th century, which lived in the woods and shores of Loch Ness, were secured with their own saddle and bridle. In a fable involving the infamous nasty creature, Highlander James MacGregor surprised it and cut off its bridle, the source of its strength and life, without which it would die within 24 hours. Because the kelpie had the ability to speak, he unsuccessfully tried to bargain with MacGregor for the return of his bridle. Following McGrigor to his house, the kelpie claimed that McGrigor would not be able to enter his house while he had a bridle, due to the presence of a cross over the front door. But MacGregor outwitted the creature by throwing the bridle out the window, so the kelpie accepted his fate and walked away cursing and swearing.[41][47] The myth is perpetuated by new stories about the bridle being passed down through the family. Called "Willox's Ball and Bridle", it had magical healing powers; the spell was made by placing objects in water while chanting "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit"; the water could be used as medicine.[48][49]

A popular and recent explanation among believers of the Loch Ness monster is that it belongs to a lineage of long-extant plesiosaurs,[50] but the myth of the kelpie still lives on in children's books such as Molly Hunters' Pearl Kelpie

(1966) and Dick King-Smiths
The Water Horse
(1990).

Banshee

Many Celtic peoples have varieties of banshees in one form or another, and the legend goes back to Ireland. The image of this creature varies significantly: some describe the banshee as a disgusting, ugly old woman with very saggy breasts, others claim that the banshee is a very attractive young girl with long hair.

Banshee. (www.pinterest.ru)

A banshee can be heard or seen, and in both cases it means trouble, or rather, death. Hearing the cry of a banshee means the loss of a close relative; seeing this creature means dying yourself. The banshee is believed to be the spirit of a woman who died during childbirth. You can meet her, according to popular belief, at a pond, washing the bloody linen of a family member who is about to die. Banshees also cry in the forest or near the house of the future deceased. This harbinger of sadness, grief and death, according to legends, was heard and seen shortly before battles and battles.

Origin

Folklorist Gary R. Warner has suggested that the origins of the belief in water horses that hunted and devoured humans may be a reflection of human sacrifices once made to appease the water gods. The association with horses may have its roots in horse sacrifices performed in ancient Scandinavia.[51][52] Stories of malevolent water spirits served the practical purpose of keeping children away from dangerous areas of water and warning teenage girls away from attractive young strangers.[6] The stories were also used to enforce moral standards as they implied that the creatures were punished for misbehaving on Sundays.[24] The intervention of demons and spirits was perhaps a way to justify the drowning of children and adults who accidentally fell into deep, fast-moving or turbulent water.[53]

Historian and symbolologist Charles Milton Smith has suggested that the myth of the kelpie may have arisen from drains that can form on the surface of Scottish lochs, giving the appearance of a living form as they move through the water.[54] Sir Walter Scott refers to a similar explanation in his epic poem. Lady of the Lake

(1810), which contains the lines

He watched the swirling whirlpools boil, Until from their foam his blinded eyes Beheld the rise of the river demon:

in which Scott uses "river demon" to refer to "kelpie".[11] Scott may have also hinted at an alternative rational explanation by naming the treacherous quicksand region "Kelpie Stream" in his novel The Bride of Lammermoor

(1818).[55]

Kelpie - friend or foe?

To definitely answer the question whether the mythical Kelpie horse is a friend or enemy to man, it is enough to compare the facts of all the mythologies and beliefs of peoples. Kelpie is a creature that lives in fresh water bodies and occasionally appears on the coast. Many people in the past tried to take possession of this magical horse, for which they paid with their lives. Therefore, for curious people who prefer to look beyond what is permitted, the kelpie accordingly became an enemy.

A cautious and prudent person who, if he meets a kelpie on his way, immediately tries to leave the coast without looking in his direction, does not receive rage and anger from the creature. Therefore, in such a situation, a creature can be disposed towards a person without negativity, although without showing friendliness. The Scots still consider the kelpie to be the key to their folklore and respect the legends about it.

Artistic performances

A Pictish Beast is depicted in a line drawing of the Maiden Stone.
Pictish stones dating from the 6th to 9th centuries, depicting what has been called a Pictish Beast may be the earliest depictions of kelpies or kelpie-like creatures.[56]

Victorian artist Thomas Millie Dow sketched the kelpie in 1895 as a melancholy, dark-haired girl balancing on a rock,[57] a common image for artists of the period.[58] Other images show kelpies as pool girls, as in Draper's 1913 oil on canvas.[58] Folklorist Nicola Bone has suggested that artists such as Millie Dow and Draper deliberately ignored earlier descriptions of the kelpie and reinvented it, changing its gender and character.[59]

Two 30 meters (100 ft) high steel sculptures in Falkirk on the Forth and Clyde Canal, named Kelpies

borrow the name of a mythical creature to associate it with the strength and endurance of a horse; designed by sculptor Andy Scott, they were built as monuments to Scotland's equestrian industrial heritage. Construction was completed in October 2013, and the sculptures have been open to public access since April 2014.[60]

Breed standard

The standard color of the Kelpie is varied.
Australian Shepherd Kelpies are divided into two groups. The first includes dogs bred to work in pastures, the second - show class. The latter participate in exhibitions and are used for breeding. They meet the standards exactly.

• General characteristics. The dog is fast, active, energetic, smart. Average weight is from 10 to 20 kilograms.
• Head. Correct proportions, rounded skull with a pronounced transition from the forehead to the muzzle.
• Eyes. Almond-shaped, medium size.
• Nose. It can have different shades, harmonizes with the color.
• Teeth. Strong, scissor bite.
• Ears. Standing only is allowed.
• The build is well built, strong, with well-developed muscles. There is a small scruff. The topline is clear.
• Tail. Medium size, hangs down.
• Paws. Muscular, wide, straight.
• Wool. Dense, smooth, short, with undercoat.

The standard colors include:

• rich red;
• black;
• smoky blue;
• chocolate.

Also found in fawn, black and tan.

For reference! Dogs with small light markings on their paws, chest area, and tail are allowed for exhibitions.

Recommendations

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kelpie .

Quotes

1. "kelpie, no. 1.", Oxford English Dictionary
   (online editor), Oxford University Press, 2014, retrieved 4 May 2014
2. Carlisle (1788), para. 72
3. "kelpie, p
   ",
   Dictionary of the Ancient Scottish Language (before 1700)
   (online ed.), retrieved 6 July 2014
4. Joseph Schmidt. Author of an article in English on WordPress, a philosophy site
5. Harper, Douglas, "kelpie (n.)", Online Dictionary of Etymology
   , retrieved May 30, 2014
6. ^ a b c d
   Westwood and Kingshill (2012), para. 364
7. ^ a b
   Monaghan (2009), pp. ix, xi, xv
8. Gregorson Campbell (1900), para. 215
9. Spence, L. (4 March 1933), "Mythical Beasts: in Scottish Folklore", The Scotsman
   , ProQuest 489688325
10. Briggs, Katherine, Encyclopedia of Fairies
    , cited in Bown 2001, pp. 177–178
11. ^ a b
    Scott, Walter (1884) [1810],
    The Lady of the Lake: a Poem
    , Lippincott, p.277 (Note V to p. vii, p. 89), The River Demon, or River Horse... is the Lowland Kelpie... He often comes on most Highland lakes and rivers; and one of his most memorable exploits was performed on the shores of Loch Vennachar.
12. ^ a b
    Graham (1812), para. 245
13. ^ a b
    McKillop, James (2004), "kelpie, kelpie, water kelpie",
    Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
    (online ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780198609674, retrieved 6 May 2014
14. Gregorson Campbell (2008), para. 320
15. The Blind Man (1881), para. 189
16. Middleton (2012), para. 44
17. ^ a b c d f
    Warner (2007), para. 24
18. ^ a b
    Macpherson (1929), para. 61
19. Gregor (1881), para. 38
20. The Blind Man (1881), para. 200
21. Macpherson (1929), para. 63
22. Buchan and Olson (1997)
23. Gregor (1883), para. 292
24. ^ a b
    Anonymous (1887), para. 513
25. Campbell (1860), para. lxxxvi
26. MacKillop, James (2004), "every uisce, every uisge, aughisky", Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
    (online ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780198609674, retrieved 22 May 2014
27. Anonymous (1887), para. 512
28. Gregorson Campbell (1900), pp. 208–209
29. Campbell (1860a), para. 64
30. Dempster (1888), para. 172
31. Bowman (2008), pp. 346–348
32. Westwood and Kingshill (2012), para. 356
33. MacKillop, James (2004), "tarroo ushta, taroo ushta", Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
    (online ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780198609674, retrieved 17 May 2014
34. Lamont-Brown (1996), para. 19
35. Macpherson (1929), para. 62
36. Gregor (1883), pp. 293–294
37. McNeil (2001), pp. 68–72
38. Westwood and Kingshill (2012), pp. 423–424
39. ^ a b
    Spence (1999), para. 91
40. Chambers (1870)S. 334–335.
41. ^ a b
    Mackinlay (1893), para. 174
42. Spence (1999), para. 19
43. Warner (2007), para. 23
44. Spence (1999), para. 95
45. Gregor (1881), para. 66
46. Westwood and Kingshill (2012), para. 458
47. Stuart (1823), pp. 102–107
48. Black (1893), paragraph 501
49. Stuart (1823), para. 102
50. Harmsworth (2010), para. 310
51. Warner (2007), pp. 24–25
52. Gut Wheatley (1911), para. 147
53. Campbell (2002), para. 1
54. Milton Smith (2009), para. 44.
55. Scott, Maggie (November 2010), "Scottish word of the season: Kelpie", Bottle Imp
    , University of Glasgow (8), archived original 8 May 2014, retrieved 17 May 2014
56. Cessford, Craig (June 2005), Ragan, Elizabeth (ed.), "Pictian Art and the Sea", The Heroic Age
    ,
    8
    (4):3, ISSN 1526-1867, archived from the original March 20, 2022, received May 12, 2017
57. Martin (1902), para. 12
58. ^ a b Kelpie
    , National Museums Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery, archived from the original 8 May 2014, retrieved 5 May 2014
59. Bown (2001), para. 218
60. Brocklehurst, Stephen (6 May 2014), "The Man Who Made the Kelpie", BBC News
    , archived from the original 9 May 2014, retrieved 8 May 2014

Features of education

Kelpies need regular training and exercise.
The Australian Kelpie is a dog designed to work. Socialization of dogs begins at an early age. Already at 3 months, play training techniques are used. Three methods are used to raise and train kelpies.

1. Contrast method. Involves the formation of correct behavior through positive and negative reinforcement. The method allows pain in case of an incorrect reaction.
2. Imitative method. For training, small puppies are taken into work together with trained dogs.
3. Operant conditioning. The method does not involve physical impact. This is based on the Kelpie's natural ability to learn. Skills are formed using a conditioned signal.

During the training process, physical impact is not allowed. Experts believe that this attitude has a negative impact on the kelpie and leads to the appearance of aggression in character.

Note! If a dog is adopted to live in a family, then training does not require special programs. Obedience training is enough.

Choosing a puppy

Australian kelpies were brought to our country back in 1987. 30 purebred puppies were purchased from Australia. Now in our country the only nursery engaged in breeding the breed is “Geares” in Stavropol.

A puppy can be purchased for 20–30 thousand rubles (with pedigree). Working dogs without documents cost less - 5-10 thousand rubles, but if you need a shepherd, then there is no point in overpaying for the exterior.

Kelpies from the Russian nursery exist in a single color - black and tan. These dogs cannot take part in RKF and IFF exhibitions. If you plan to take part in exhibitions or breed show kelpies, you will have to go abroad for a puppy: to Australia, Europe. There, a puppy will cost between 700 and 900 dollars.

If you want to get a purebred puppy, check the documents (pedigree) or buy the baby in the Stavropol nursery. By appearance, you will never understand that this is a purebred individual. Kelpie puppies look no different from mongrels.

Based on the appearance of a Kelpie puppy, one cannot conclude that it is purebred.

Summarizing

Kelpies are one of the few breeds whose working qualities are truly irreplaceable for people. This is why Australian kelpies are so few in number and poorly known to ordinary dog ​​lovers - these animals vitally need a frantic pace of life, constant movement, endless fields and, preferably, at least a hundred sheep.

Australian Kelpies cannot be called handsome, but the breed was not bred for aesthetic purposes

Notes

1. , With. 633.
2. Deorum maxime Mercurium colunt.
   Huius sunt plurima simulacra, hunc omnium inventorem artium ferunt, hunc viarum atque itinerum ducem, hunc ad quaestus pecuniae mercaturasque habere vim maximam arbitrantur. Post hunc Apollinem et Martem et Iovem et Minervam. de his eandem fere quam reliquae gentes habent opinionem: Apollinem morbos depellere, Minervam operum atque artificiorum initia tradere, Iovem imperium caelestium tenere, Martem bella regere. (Commentarii de bello Gallico, VI. 17).
3. Doreen Virtue.
   Archangels and ascended masters / Doreen Virtue. - Hay House, 2004. - ISBN 1401900631.

General information

The Celts lived according to the laws of tribal society. Their culture was rich in legends and traditions, which were passed down from mouth to mouth for centuries and, as a rule, were preserved in several versions, as, indeed, the Celtic names and names themselves. Archaeological excavations carried out recently have helped to expand knowledge about the way of life and traditions of the people. Just like most ancient peoples, the Celts believed in an afterlife, and during burial they left with the deceased many household items: plates, dishes, tools, weapons, jewelry, even carts and carts with horses.

Central to mythology was the belief in the transmigration of souls, which reduced the fear of death and supported courage and selflessness during wars.

In the most difficult life situations, such as war, disease or other dangers, human sacrifices were also made.

Celtic mythology has had a great influence on world literature. Many writers, such as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Tolkien, Tennyson and others, were inspired by the most interesting legends about Cuchulainn, King Arthur, the love of Tristan and Isolde, and the tribes of the goddess Danu.

Health and life expectancy

With proper care and a balanced diet, the life expectancy of Australian Kelpies is up to 16 years. Animals are distinguished by good health and good immunity.

With age, problems may arise from:

• organs of vision (cataracts leading to blindness);
• musculoskeletal system;
• digestive tract.

Some representatives experience hip dysplasia, impaired coordination as a result of cerebellar atrophy, and undescended testicles into the scrotum. With increased stress and activity, kneecap dislocation may occur.