Seals (or selkies, to use the Orcadian word) are a very common sight in Orkney. Heads bobbing above the waves watching inquisitively with uncannily human eyes, it is not hard to see how the legends surrounding the selkie-folk sprang into life.

The islands have numerous stories relating to the selkie-folk. Unlike the Fin-Folk, the selkie-folk were not malicious creatures but rather gentle shape shifters with the ability to transform from seals into beautiful, lithe humans. There was no agreement as to how often the selkie's could perform the transformation - in some tales it is once a year, usually on Midsummer's Eve (referred to as Johnsmas Eve), whereas in others it was "every ninth night" or "every seventh stream". However often they transformed, folklore tells us that once in human form the selkie-folk would dance merrily on the moonlit seashore or bask on sun drenched island rocks.

It was common belief that when the selkie-folk assumed human form, they shed their seal skins. Then, if for any reason they lost their skins, they were unable to change back and were trapped in human form. Needless to say, the when in human form the selkie-folk guarded their skins carefully - if they were disturbed during one of their midnight dances, they would quickly snatch up their skins and rush back to the safety of the sea.

The male members among the selkie folk were thought to have had many encounters with human females, married and unmarried. A selkie man in human form was a handsome creature with almost magical seductive powers over mortal women. These selkie-men had no qualms in shedding their skins, hiding them carefully, and heading inland, sought illicit intercourse with an "unsatisfied woman".

Should any mortal woman wish to make contact with a selkie-man, it was common belief that the woman need simply shed seven tears into the sea at high tide.

If the selkie-men were attractive in the eyes of earth-born women, the selkie females were no less alluring to the eyes of the island men. A common theme in the selkie folklore are the tales of young Orcadian men who either trick or steal a selkie-girl's seal skin thereby preventing her from returning to the sea. These cunning individuals would then force the beautiful maiden to marry them, very often eventually siring children. The tales usually end sadly however, with the selkie woman's children returning her skin to her so that she may return to her home in the sea. Very often in these tales she would take her children with her. The story of the Goodman of Wastness is typical of one such tale.

You can visit the main Selkie website for more information at: The Selkie Folk