Did you know that most of the Norse myths we know and love were written not in Scandanavia, but Iceland? I sure didn’t. But it’s true. Apparently, Iceland was and is one of the most literate countries in the world, and they took charge of writing down the stories of Odin, Thor, Loki, and all the rest. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. In fact, I’d expect nothing less from the country that gives us Jolabokaflod every December 24th. But I digress. Because we’re not talking about any of those romantic gods or mighty monsters today. No–today we honor the Shore Laddie, the squishiest and most random sea monster I’ve ever heard of. And I’ve heard of…a lot.
This is the first of four articles in the Icelandic sea monster mini-series.
Origins of the Shore Laddie
Sightings of the Shore Laddie date as far back as the 1700s. That may sound like a long time ago, especially to us Americans, but when you consider that the country of Iceland has existed for over 1000 years, the Shore Laddie is a baby by comparison. As the name suggests, they are shore dwellers, and frequent the beaches of the Western Fjords. According to one source, they resemble “a sheep that’s fallen in the drink…or a fat, woolly seal.” Other sources add more color by stating they are often covered in barnacles or seaweed as well.
Powers and Abilities
Like so many cryptids, the Shore Laddie is a keep-to-itself kind of creature. Some have said they witnessed aggressive behavior, while others claim it retreated into the sea immediately. In fact, the only power it has (other than having the raw hubris to exist in the first place) is that it can/chooses to impregnate sheep during mating season, resulting in deformed lambs. Not a super useful or fun ability. But there you have it.
If you like reclusive cryptids, check out our article on the Bryn Athyn Beast.
Defeating the Shore Laddie
As far as I can tell, fighting a Shore Laddie resembles fighting a water-logged sheep. Even if it does seem angry or agitated to see you, it’s not going to be particularly fast if it decides to attack. Any loud noise or waving arms would probably scare it away. For ninety-nine percent of people, there’s not a whole lot to worry about.
Which brings me to the one percent of people that do need to worry. It also happens to be the aspect that lands an otherwise benign creature in “what the f*ck?” territory. While the Shore Laddie is a vegetarian, it does make one very disturbing exception: pregnant women.
That said, I haven’t been able to figure out why this is. Or if there’s actually been a recorded instance of such a thing. In fact there is one tour guide that swears this is a vicious rumor, as are any reports of aggression. He even claims to have encountered one when he was fourteen. According to his report, it seemed terrified by humans (aka, him) and could not get away fast enough.
However, I would like to point out that, most likely, he was neither pregnant nor a sheep at the time of this encounter. Gotta check that privilege, man.
Happy Monday, monsters!
