The Shellycoat
On dark nights by Scottish rivers, travellers heard the jingle of shells and a voice crying for help. They learned not to go and look.
What was reported
The shellycoat is a water spirit of Scottish folklore, said to live in streams and rivers, especially in the Borders and near Leith. It wore a coat covered with shells, which clattered and jingled as it moved, so you would hear it before you saw it.
It liked to trick travellers, crying out like someone drowning to lure them to the riverbank, then leading them on a wild chase through the night and laughing at their confusion. It was mischievous rather than deadly.
Explanations offered
The shellycoat belongs to the large family of Scottish water spirits, from kelpies to the each-uisge. Its jingling may reflect the sound of water over stones. Sir Walter Scott recorded tales about it.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Witnesses
- Scottish folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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