Zeffie - Mythical Legend or Drunken Celts - An Interview With A Local
Posted: Monday, August 09, 2010
by Dr. Carla Goddard
Bagpipes and drums echoing in the background as you wander through the tents of vendors,it was in this wandering that an older gent sitting beneath a shade tent called out to me. Slowly approaching glancing up to see a sign saying the "Clan Macfie" before hesitantly approaching the older gent whose bony knees seemed to block out every other thought. Patting a chair beside him, "lassie sit for a bit and I shall share a story for that ye olde paper of yours." Curious as to the yarn that was about to be spun by the strange looking man.
"Zeffie? No I can not say that I have ever heard of a Zeffie before."
Closing his eyes and nodding gently as he spoke in a hushed tone as though the tale were a secret that was only shared with a handful of people. "Out there, in the Loch of Zephyr is where Zeffie lives." The older man pointing to a pond in the middle of the park, as I looked at the water I have seen for many times before. Still not having any notion of what a 'Zeffie' was, I turned to look back at the man waiting for the man to speak again. Speaking even softer, "Zeffie is the mate of Nessie." I wanted to ask who is Nessie, having not made the connect that this old Scottish man was spinning for a tale.
"Back 'for the lands were separated, there was a great flood. Water covered the world. McZeffie as his formal name is, was an adventurer. He left his mate Nessie to explore the world of water. But the water receded."
Thinking the Scot was spinning a fine tale but it was a stretch of any imagination could ever imagine. "When the water receded, ye poor Zeffie found himself landlocked into what we now know as Loch Zephyr. Poor Zeffie could not get back to his Nessie. But Zeffie being an adventurer traveled the underground waters only to find the underwater aquifers leading to the Crystal Springs." Still unsure of whether to take any of the story to heart, I proceeded to listen some more.
"What I tell you, lassie, is true." Seeing the disbelief in my eyes, "even the Mayor at one time saw for himself Zeffie.' Thanking the man for the tale I decided to go in search of any confirmation of this tall tale. Hearing the loud rowdy voices of men, I headed to the source. Still taken back a bit by all the bony knees about, I quietly asked an older man off to himself if he had ever heard of something called Zeffie. Everyone seemed to hush hearing my question.
"Lassie tis not a tale. Zeffie lives within the Loch of Zephyr." The following is what was shared with me after being told the difference between the Scottish kilt and the Irish kilt. It seems that many believe, including a reporter from the Zephyrhills News and a former mayor. Mayor W. Cliff McDuffie of the Scot Clan Macfie publicly professed absolute belief in such a creature living in the waters of Zephyrhills. Records confirmed that on January 26, 2004 Mayor McDuffie made a public proclamation at the Zephyrhills City Council that the body of water in the Zephyr Park be called Loch Zehyr. Also citing that "there has been a hint of speculation that the dinosaur of some description lurking in the lake;" that "the dinosaur, if discovered, be given the name McZeffie". So the official proclamation the creature's formal name became McZeffie.
The current belief it seems is that Zeffie visits Loch Zephyr via a connecting underground waterway coming from Crystal Springs. Some believe that this was the real reason behind the closing of the popular swimming hole several years ago. As the tale goes, the owners, not knowing the disposition of the creature and could not allow continued swimming in the springs. For fear if announced the true reason for closing, it would be met with scorn and ridicule at best and flocks of thrill seeking tourists would swarm the spring.
Going back into the history of both Crystal Springs and Zephyrhills to see if any mention of some mysteries creature had ever been seen before. What I found was quiet astounding. There are reports of seeing something in the waters going back to the first settlers of the city whom reported instances of odd sightings. The colony struggling to even exist the reports indicated that citizens made the decision to keep the sightings quiet for fear of scaring people from coming to the fledgling community.
The rowdy men had a bit more to share with me, they claimed that Zeffie would make appearances each year at the 'ye olde Celtic Festival held at the Park. For when Zeffie heard the sounds of the bag pipes his yearning to return to Nessie grew and would pop his head up to listen more intently to the sounds of his home. It seems the men believed that Zeffie was the mate of 'Nessie' or otherwise known as the Loch Ness Monster. Scowling as I left the group of rowdy men amidst a Celtic rock band's music, I glanced up only to see the sign of the Celtic Pub.
Tis the tall tale just a legend or is it true? I can only say that the proprietors of the Crystal Springs Preserve and local political officials of Zephyrhills declined to comment on the legend. The music and old games of Celtic history do certainly come alive during the Zephyrhills Celtic Festival - that much is true
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