The Selkie

Story

The Selkie folk are seal people – seals who can shed their skins and take human form to dance on the shore. 

There are a number of versions of the Selkie story. The best known is the story of the fisherman who steals a Selkie’s skin so that the woman must stay human. The couple marry and have children - and the children find and return the skin to their mother (as in our recording told by Jackie Singer.)

We also have  recording of a story about a lighthouse keeper and a selkie (told by Ruth Kirkpatrick). A lighthouse keeper nurses a sick seal back to health. When he falls down the stairs in a storm a mysterious woman appears from nowhere and looks after him until he is better.

Why we chose it

There are numerous stories of shape shifting animals – with or without enchantments. This is one of the best known. 

The story of the fisherman is better suited to older children. The story of the lighthouse keeper is lovely for younger children.