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The Lorelei is of course a water-spirit of the siren type, one who lures heedless mariners to their destruction. In Scotland and the north of England we find her congener in the water-kelpie, who lurks in pools lying in wait for victims. But the kelpie is usually represented in the form of a horse and not in that of a beauteous maiden. The Nixie
The children clambered out at last, and Susy chained the boat to a stick, which she drove into the sand. But the sand was light, and the boat was heavy, and the current strong; so before the children had walked a dozen rods, the Water-Kelpie was floating down stream of its own free will. Thus it happened that although aunt Martha was certainly surprised, she did not seem very much pleased.
His heart was stirred within him; and he would have followed her, only he knew not which way she had gone. Soon the water-kelpie came to him in the form of a horse; and ran before him, neighing fiercely, and breathing fire from his mouth. This is the way kelpies take to announce the fact that some one has gone under the water. So the man followed the kelpie.
Now he cared for nothing but to gaze into the waters at Moneta and her child. One day, the water-kelpie appeared to him in the form of an old man. "Why sit you here, sighing like the north wind?" said the kelpie. "I have loved gold better than my best friends," replied Ivan; "and now my best friends are taken away from me, and the gold is left; but I love it no longer."
"I can row her myself," said he; "but I wouldn't put Dotty in, and most drown her, and dab along with that shingle." The runaway Water-Kelpie was caught a little way below the bridge, and Abner slyly laid by the dripping shingle, and afterwards showed it to everybody, as a proof that "our Sue was an amazin' smart little water man."
One day, as she was sitting by the shore of the lake, a water-kelpie saw her weeping, and came to her in the form of a white-haired old man, saying, "Charming lady! why do you weep? Come with me to my kingdom under the waters. My people are always happy." Then she looked where he bade her, and saw, afar down under the waters, a beautiful city, whose streets were paved with red and white coral.
Such a dainty boy as you needs to be stolen a while by the fairies." "Well, Gracie, I reckon you'd run double-quick to pull me off the milk-white steed. You couldn't get along without me two days. Look here! what story has a moral for you, miss? It's the 'Water-kelpie. You are like the man that married Moneta: you're always wanting money."
It was delightful to be at grandma Parlin's once more. The summer-house, the seat in the tree, and the swing, were all in their old places, and had been waiting a whole year for the children. A few things had been added: a hennery, called by Dotty "a henpeckery" and a graceful white boat, named the Water-Kelpie.
The double dykes were built by a farmer fond of his dram, to stop the tongue of a water-kelpie which lived in a pool below and gave him a turn every night he staggered home by shouting, "Drunk again, Peewitbrae!" and announcing, with a smack of the lips, that it had a bed ready for him in the burn.
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