
A malicious sea monster from Shetland waters, the Bregdi is feared for its habit of chasing boats. Once it has caught up with a boat, it wraps its long fins around it, putting them up over the gunwales, and dives with the boat in its deadly embrace.
Fortunately a bregdi’s attentions can be deterred in two ways. Like many other supernatural creatures, the bregdi hates the touch of cold steel. A simple skuni (knife) is more than enough to combat it. Slashing the fins as soon as they appear over the gunwales will make it let go and flee. It is also terrified of amber beads, and a single amber bead thrown at a bregdi is enough to scare it off.
References
Angus, J. S. (1914) A Glossary of the Shetland Dialect. Alexander Gardner, Paisley.
Fleming, M. (2002) Not of this World: Creatures of the Supernatural in Scotland. Mercat Press, Edinburgh.
I kinda like that the claws on the thing look like knives. Was that intentional
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorta! They needed to be more like hooks.
LikeLike
Interesting its steel instead of iron that wards it off.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Presumably metals in general
LikeLike
would I be safe if I was in a metal cage?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, if it works for sharks…
LikeLike
I live in the neighbouring Orkney Islands so will definitely keep my eyes open in case one comes to visit – gulp!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like the little detail that it’s afraid of amber beads. That’s just so oddly specific and inexplicable, I wonder how it got started? Does amber have some sort of significance here that I’m unaware of?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Probably has to do with purity or something, like silver?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Does this creature count as a dragon? Because it looks like one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Probably shouldn’t. Was intended to be more like a sea monster.
LikeLike
I understand, it’s still very cool! By the way, I didn’t imagine that you would answer me, it’s been a long time since you made a post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m still alive, I very much want to post again, but I’m still not in good enough shape to do so. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
something bad happened?
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a strange creature.. It looks like a stingray with hands.
Funny to think that my latest doodle was from remembering this one on and off for months.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Turns out it’s actually a basking shark! Need to make that clear.
LikeLike