What manner of creature exists that being half human, which belongs on land, and half that is of the sea should call out to us in a song so sweet as to bring us to ruin upon these rocks. Beware least you too hear her songs and also be lost.
The legends of a people that live in the sea, having a body which is comprised of a human torso and the fins of a sea creature goes far back into our mythology. The tales exist in all cultures, including inland ones where the creatures are subject to life in the lakes and rivers of the local terrain. There is question about the purpose of these creatures in our lore, and they exist as both beneficial entities, to malicious demons. The images that have developed over the ages certainly reflect those thoughts. |
The image of a creature which prays upon the souls of man was especially favored in the middle ages as they were an attempt to strengthen the hold of the church on the masses. Any creature not of god, and must surly be evil and ugly in his and the sight of God. The fear of many of the seaman of the time were a direct result of the fear instilled by the church. |
The lore of the mermaid has changed over the course of years since those days, and the image of the mermaid has changed with it. They are no longer the feared monsters of the deep waiting for some simple seaman to come along. The concept of a whole civilization has emerged lately with with men and children taking a rightful place in the culture. |
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| New images of Merfolk are always emerging, replacing the monsters of old, many with noble attitudes or themes (does the above bring to mind Joan of Arc to you?) Movies, from studio's like Disney has furthered this change with offering like "Splash" and "The little mermaid." Today fantastic art has evolved to portray an image of a woman body, usually bare breasted, and the flukes of a sea mammal, a few of these images are show here. |
Mermaids and Other Mythical Sea Beings
And after a dusting of Fairy dust and you return to
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