celtic-forest-faerie:

{Brian Froud- Selkies}

The seas around Orkney and Shetland harbor the shy Selkies or Seal-Faeries (know as the Roane in Ireland). A female Selkie is able to discard her seal skin and come ashore as a beautiful maiden. If a human can capture this skin, the Selkie can be forced to become a fine, if wishful, wife. However, she immediately returns to the sea, leaving the husband to pine and die. The males raise storms and upturn boats to avenge the indiscriminate slaughter of seals.