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The nuckelavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology that combines equine and human elements. The name of this most horrible of all the demons of the Scottish islands may be a progenitor of that by which the Devil is sometimes known, Old Nick. Though accounts describing the creature's appearance are inconsistent, its abilities are well-documented. The nuckelavee's breath can wilt crops and sicken livestock, and the creature has been held responsible for droughts and epidemics on land despite its being predominantly a sea-dweller. In common with many other sea monsters, it is unable to tolerate fresh water; therefore, those it is pursuing have only to cross a river or stream to be rid of it. The nuckelavee is kept in confinement during the summer months by the Mither o' the Sea, an ancient Orcadian divine and the only one able to control it. This mythological creature may have originated as a composite of a water horse from Celtic mythology and a creature imported by Norsemen. (Full article...)

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