The Loch Ness Monster

Origin/History
On August 4, 1933, the Courier published a full news item the claim of a London man, George Spicer, that a few weeks earlier while motoring around the Loch, he and his wife had seen "the nearest approach to a dragon or pre-historic animal that I have ever seen in my life", trundling across the road toward the Loch carrying "an animal" in its mouth. On December 6, 1933 the first purported photograph of the monster, taken by Hugh Gray, was published in The Daily Express

Cultural Influences
The kelpie, a supernatural creature that haunts Scotlands lochs and lonely rivers. Kelpies have the magical ability to take the form of beautiful horses or handsome young men with dark eyes and pond weed in their hair. Some people believe that the Loch Ness Monster may be a kelpie. It is said that kelpies, in the shape of horses, wait near the water to trap anyone that wanders by. They entice people to climb up on their backs but as soon as they do the kelpie gallops into the loch beneath the waters, where it devours its victim. A plesiosaur?

In Other Cultures
Sharlie is the name given to a reptile-like sea serpent much like the Loch Ness Monster that is believed by some to live in the deep alpine waters of Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho Ogopogo is the name given to a lake monster reported to live in Okanagan Lake, in British Columbia, Canada Champ is the name given to an alleged monster that has two-and-a-half foot jaws with sharp and dangerous teeth believed to live in Lake Champlain.

Works Cited
Wikipedia contributors. "Loch Ness Monster." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Web. 18 Jan 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_Monster>. Internet, Carus. "Loch Ness Monster." The Legend of Nessie the Ultimate Loch Ness Monster Site. Carus Internet. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. <http://www.nessie.co.uk/>. Harmsworth, A. G. "Loch Ness and Loch Ness Monster." Loch Ness and Loch Ness Monster Information. Facts about Nessie, Loch Ness Research and Exploration. Fort Augustus Abbey. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. <http://www.loch-ness.org/>. "Loch Ness - Scotlands Culture." Supporting Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), Assessment, Community and Lifelong Learning Education Scotland. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scotlandsculture/lochness/index.asp >.