whelpie

English

Etymology

From whelp +‎ -ie.

Noun

whelpie (plural whelpies)

1. A small whelp, especially a little cub or puppy; a cur.
   • 1802, William Meston, The Poetical Works of the Ingenious and Learned William Meston, page 37:

     Familiars, brownies, water-kelpies,
     And all the other hellish whelpies; […]

   • 1888, Wide Awake, volume 26, page 42:

     I begged the sailors, at least, not to tease the whelpies any more for that day.

   • 1910, Walter Seymour, Ups and Downs of a Wandering Life, page 180:

     Not that I mean any disrespect to Almighty God, but just to cheat the whelpies!