Mermaids Archives - Otherworldly Oracle

Types of Mermaids Worldwide: 25+ Selkies, Merrows, and More

kitty fields — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 00:57:59 +0000

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be part of their world. Mermaids, that is. I swam in the pool, with my feet “fused” together, and emerged to the surface only to flip my long hair behind me. Just like Ariel. I was obsessed with all things mermaid. Following this Disney affliction (I mean, addiction), I spent years of my life researching and reading about these illusive mythical sea creatures. And I learned that there are literally dozens of types of mermaids…and they’re not just seen in Europe. They’re seen worldwide! First, What Is A Mermaid, Exactly? Are mermaids real? And what is a mermaid, exactly? These are questions that most little girls and imaginative individuals of all ages ask. There was a “documentary” some years back that gave us a glance into the supposed mermaid sightings worldwide. Unfortunately, most of the documentary was fabricated and it confused many of us. They portrayed mermaids as being real, corporeal beings with flesh and bone. I feel the problem with this depiction is that mermaids, mermen, and many other mythical sea creatures are in fact in the spirit realm. They are elementals. Guardians of sea and sky. And if they are in fact spiritual beings, this explains how they are able to shapeshift, traverse between worlds, and much more. 25+ Types of Mermaids Worldwide Mermaids are a comparative myth. This means multiple cultures, on nearly every continent, share similar legends about human-like sea creatures. Dating back thousands of years, we have archaeological proof of people’s belief in these mysterious beings. There were even gods and goddesses who were portrayed as part-fish, part-dolphin, etc. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope you learn something new! And, for clarification, any human-like creature whose home is the sea can be called a mermaid or merman. Mer-maid means sea-maid. 1. Alven (Ottermaaner): A Type of Elven Mermaid River Alven are an interesting type of mermaid found in The Netherlands. They are also called ottermaaner, meaning otter-men and are technically also classified as a type of elf. They are similar to the Selkie in that they shapeshift into otters using magical otter-skins (whereas the selkie shifts using seal-skin). Some say the Ottermaaner travel in bubbles, bobbing to and fro above the water. They are most commonly seen inhabiting the River Elbe. 2. Blue Men of the Minch The Blue Men of the Minch are the type of mermaid you don’t want to meet in person. They’re known for being violent and causing shipwrecks along the Scottish coastline. They’re also called Storm Kelpies. With blue skin and a craving for poetry, the Blue Men are sometimes linked to the ancient Picts of Scotland, who painted their skin blue. If you see a Blue Man, floating on top of the water, he’ll ask you to recite a poem to entertain him. If you refuse, he will turn over your boat or, unbeknownst to you, lead you to your death later on. 3. Camenae Speaking of gods and goddesses, the Camenae were Greek goddesses of the sacred wells and fountains. They were invoked to guard and guide women in childbirth and eventually became syncretized with the Greek Muses. The Camenae’s dedicated spring is located just outside the Porta Capena. The Baths of Caracalla sit in the valley that used to be covered in forests and springs. A site in which healing was given to those who sought it from the water goddesses. The Camenae were also known to prophesy. 4. Corrigans The people of Brittany, France descend from the Bretons, a Celtic people who also inhabited parts of the British Isles in ancient times. And we all know the Celts had strong beliefs in faeries and elementals. Corrigans, similar to Camenae, are a type of mermaid that inhabit smaller bodies of water in Brittany. Rivers, springs, wells and fountains are their home. They also share common qualities with Sirens: singing, combing their hair, and luring men to their deaths. Interestingly, they’re one of few mermaids that steal children and replace them with changelings. 5. Dracs: A Dragon Type of Mermaid in France No, we’re not talking about Dracula. Though the names correlate. The syllable drac means dragon. And so we have these French female water-serpents that shapeshift into anything they please including beautiful young women and dragons. Oddly, dracs also appear above the water as golden chalices…only to lure you to the water’s edge. When you reach in to grab the treasure, the drac pulls you under! This terrifying type of mermaid is seemingly related to the dragon-spirit Melusine. They’ve been seen in the River Rhone, but are also known to visit nearby towns searching for children and young women to steal. 6. Finfolk The first time I read about the Finfolk, I was utterly taken. These sea gardeners are best known in the Orkeny Islands for growing and tending to lavish underwater gardens. Finfolk appear to be of the same species as your typical mermaid or merman: half-human with the tail of a fish in place of legs. Finwives (female finfolk) are beautiful, have long hair, and were often kidnapped and forced to marry human men. Finmen (male finfolk) were less attractive, had dark countenances, and cause ships to wreck when their territory is threatened. Some stories say finfolk kidnap humans and take them to their underwater world, forcing them to marry and stay there forever. 7. Mal-de-mer: An Evil Type of Mermaid Yet another type of mermaid from Brittany is the Mal-de-mer. Their name translates to “evil of the sea” or malevolent mermaid. They are also accused of wrecking ships. Not surprisingly, mal-de-mer is also a term that means seasickness. 8. Mermaids and Mermen The longer I study mer-beings, the more I believe mermaid and merman are more general terms for human-like sea creatures worldwide. It’s a general classification. Similar to saying a blue jay is a type of bird. You’d also say a Drac or Corrigan is a type of mermaid. But, […]

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Cliodhna the Celtic Fairy Goddess: 11 Ways to Work With Her

kitty fields — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 20:40:16 +0000

Witch. Mermaid. Fairy Queen. Cliodhna has many faces and names. Recently, while doing some geneaological research, I found my ancestors claimed descent from this elusive Celtic fairy goddess. I had no clue who she was, but almost instantly she began reaching out to me through the ether. She has quickly become my matron goddess, and if you also descend from her or are being called by her, you won’t be disappointed. Here you’ll find Cliodhna’s history, folklore, and eleven ways to work with her divine, otherworldly energy. Who is the Cliodhna, The Celtic Fairy Goddess of Cork? Cliodhna. Cleena the Fair-Haired. Pronounced Klee-nuh or Klee-uh-nuh. Cliodhna is the patron goddess of the county Cork Ireland and has been since ancient times. She is the great Calf Goddess of the Corcu Loigde (a group of old Irish families that claim descent from her – more on this below). Her magical domains are sea and earth magick, healing, protection, love, beauty, renewal/rebirth, witchcraft, and death. Ancient Tales of Cliodhna the Fair-Haired Cliodhna the Fair-Haired is featured in the Tale of Teigue as being the most beautiful woman the men had ever seen. She lived in a crystal palace in the Celtic Otherworld and was accompanied by three magical singing birds. Cliodhna lives off of an eternal apple tree, where her birds also eat and perch. In the ancient tale, Cliodhna tells the men that the birds’ song heals all who hear it. In addition, she gifts Teigue a magical green goblet that turns water into wine. The cup is called an biasdain because it was taken from the heart of a whale. There’s also an ancient myth of Cliodhna falling in love with a man named Ciobhan of the Curling Locks. She leaves the Celtic Otherworld to be with her lover, but unfortunately, the Otherworld wants her back. Depending on the version of the tale, either the sea god Manannan Mac Lir or the Cailleach have the goddess lulled to sleep with sweet, harp music on the seashore. Then a wave is sent to wash Cliodhna back into the Otherworld. To this day, the tide in Glendore harbor in Cork, Ireland is referred to as Tonn Chliodhna, “Cliodhna’s wave”. Every ninth wave that breaks on the shore is Cliodhna’s wave. Cliodhna As a Divine Ancestor Do you have Irish ancestors from Cork? If so, you might want to check your surnames and see if your family was part of the Corcu Loigde, the Gens of the Calf Goddess. A few of the names include: O’Donovan, O’Driscoll, Coffey, Dineen, Flynn, O’Leary, and Hennessy. Research the Corcu Loigde to see a full list of the ancient Irish families that claim descent from Cliodhna. If your ancestors are part of this group, this means YOU can claim Cliodhna as a divine ancestor! Cliodhna the Fairy Queen, Mermaid, Witch, and Banshee After the Church converted a pagan Celtic Ireland, the once-beautiful and healing goddess Cliodhna was demoted. Depending on the region and person, Cliodhna’s form changes like the seasons but most depict her in an unpredictable and frightening light. She’s a fairy queen, mermaid, witch and banshee in Cork folklore. Cliodhna the Celtic Fairy Queen and Banshee As a fairy queen, Cliodhna lives with the fairies in Cork under a large rock called Carrigcleena. In one story told by a Cork resident, Cliodhna gives a man a red fairy cow that blesses him and his family for decades. Until one day when the man’s wife treats the fairy cow poorly and the cow walks down into the lake and disappears forever. The Celtic Fairy Queen can be a seductress in many tales and in one she enspells Ivor O’Donovan only to lure him to the Otherworld to be with her forever. Cliodhna is the daughter of the Fairy King of Munster and is occasionally the sister of Queen Maeve and Bina. She holds her fairy court at lios-cul-blath. Cliodhna turns into a banshee (a wailing, crooning fairy-woman) whenever someone in one of the old Irish families (the Corcu Loigde) dies. She rises from the lake (Loch Cluthmhar) and croons loud enough to send chills down the locals’ spines. She’s said to be the Queen of the Banshees too. Before a tragic event, Cliodhna rises from the lake and sits on top of her chimney. Before the Great War, locals claimed to see her sitting on her rock, singing, crying and gazing out at the sea for a full month. Cliodhna as Witch and Mermaid Like most old goddesses, Cliodhna became a witch following the rise of the church. According to Cork locals, she will catch men of her liking and drag them into the earth through Carrigcleena (Cleena’s rock). If you knock on her rock three times and say “Open Sea Sake”, she will come out and kidnap you. One tale tells of a local good witch who saves a man from Cliodhna’s grasp by threatening Cliodhna that she’d use her wand to “send her back out to sea”. Moreover, her appearance on various bodies of water in Cork allude to the origins of her mermaid form. My theory is though folklore paints Cliodhna and other fairies in a negative light as “kidnappers”, they are actually benevolent psychopomps guiding the dead to the Otherworld. 10 Ways to Work With Cliodhna, The Celtic Fairy Goddess If you choose to work with Cliodhna in your pagan or magical practice, your relationship with her will no doubt be unique. Just because I have a certain experience with her doesn’t mean your experience will be the same. Just like with any deity. Enjoy the journey! 1. Research and Study Cliodhna’s Stories I find many people who want to connect with a deity don’t do proper research first. If you want to get to know Cliodhna in her many forms, read and study her stories. You’re not going to find a lot about Cliodhna on google, so head to the library or find online library archives to dig through. She’s also […]

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Mermen: Old Legends, Merman Sea Gods & Sightings

kitty fields — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 20:00:25 +0000

When you hear the term mermaid, what do you think of? I think of a red-head teenage girl wearing a shell-bikini top with fins for legs. But to only focus our attention on the mermaids would be a dishonor to the other merpeople – the mermen. In addition to the many mermaid legends, there are just as many mermen legends. Some stories say they were ugly and mean, others remain neutral. In certain countries, mermen were benevolent. Let’s explore the fascinating and sometimes frightening world of mermen. This time we’re leaving Ariel out. Ireland & Orkney Mermen: Merrows and Finmen The merman legend penetrates cultural barriers; however, in Western Europe it was quite prevalent. In Ireland, merrows were merpeople who were both bad and good, depending on who told the tale. In the Dark Ages, male merrows were hideous, nasty creatures while the female merrows were beautiful. Male merrows were seen wearing red caps, which was thought to give them the magical ability to breathe underwater OR on land. If their cap was stolen, they would never return to the sea. Mermen Legend: The Finfolk Finfolk were vicious creatures, coming to the Orkney shores at certain times of the year to hunt their next victim. They would kidnap a woman. Then enslave her for eternity. The finfolk lived in an underwater place called Finfolkaheem. Silver is their weakness. To prevent from being captured by one of the finfolk, cast silver in all directions to distract the merman. Finmen are tall and skinny and have magical powers. They transform into something completely invisible so that they are able to sneak up on their prey. There were also male selkies, the Bluemen of the Muir, Nixes, and the Dinny Mara. Each of these mermen have their own unique characteristics and tales. Ancient Mermen Gods: Gods of the Sea While the merman legend dominated Western European folklore through the Dark Ages, but the merman was present in every age. In ancient cultures, there is a myriad of gods that are half-man-half-fish. Triton: Greek Merman God King Triton was the father of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, but his name pre-dates Disney. Triton was an ancient Greek god of the sea. He was the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. He caused great storms at sea, and also was a very erotic spirit. Some myths say he was a vicious lover. He carried a conch shell for a horn and often accompanied his father, Poseidon. He is depicted as a merman – half-man-half-fish with long hair. Shapeshifting is one of his abilities. Glaucus Glaucus was another merman god of the sea in ancient Greek mythology. Though his story is a different than Triton’s. Glaucus consumed a magical herb that inevitably led to his transformation into a sea god. He had fish-like features, and he was an advisor and protector of sailors. Enki: Sumerian God of the Sea Enki was a Sumerian god of war and wisdom and also thought to be a creator god. Other names for Enki include Lord of the Water and Ea. Sumerian mythology says Enki saved the Earth from the Great Flood. He may manifest in the merman form. Olokun: Orisha Sea God To the Nigerians, Olokun was the King of the Sea and manifested in the form of a merman or serpent. Olokun is a psychopomp, leading lost souls to the other side. This is a common belief of mermen and mermaids. They often lead drowned sailors’ souls to the other realm (at least the nice ones did). As a ruler of the sea, Olokun also has dominion over rivers and streams. These are just a few of the ancient mermen gods across the world. In the Middle East, archaeologists found bronze statues and carvings of mermen that predate written history. The belief in mermen goes back thousands of years. Mermen: Are They Good or Evil? There are conflicting accounts of the mermen temperament towards human beings. Some legends tell of mermen who help drowning sailors. While others depict the merman as being a vampire, a human-eater or kidnapper. The merman had the ability to lead souls to the other side, but often would take pleasure in capturing the sailors’ souls and keeping them in pots or cages at the bottom of the sea. Never to be freed to cross on to the other side. A Merrow Who Collected Souls In a story recorded by W.B. Yeats, an Irish man was friends with a male merrow (merman). They drank together and carried on as old buddies would, until one day the merrow asked the man to join him for a drink on the sea bed. The man agreed and found the merrow had been keeping sailors’ souls in pots. The man knew the right thing to do was to free these souls and was able to get his merrow-friend intoxicated. Then he stole his red cap, swam to the bottom of the ocean, and freed all of the captured souls. This legend gives the reader the idea that mermen were in fact malevolent towards humans. Selkie Lovers Male selkies of Shetney were attractive and were desired as lovers for human women. A woman could cry seven tears into the ocean and a male selkie would appear. In this light, we see mermen differently. Also, there are tales of mermen saving drowned people and taking them to shore. We have only to read the stories of Glaucus (above) and see that he was a guide to humans. So were mermen good or evil? Are they nice or mean to humans? Or perhaps it just depends on the kind of merman or the individual merman. “Real” Mermen Sightings In recent years, thanks to Hollywood, there’s been a resurgence of interest in mythical water creatures. Animal Planet made a “documentary” called Mermaid: A Body Found. Since then people wonder more and more whether merpeople are real. Are they really human-like creatures or just an unidentified sea creature? There have been some real mermen […]

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Fairies & Mermaids Found by Humans: 2 INCREDIBLE Tales!

kitty fields — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 18:07:23 +0000

Supernatural stories from centuries before inadvertently get lumped into “folklore” by our modern, analytical minds. But what if these stories weren’t just fairy tales? What if fairies and mermaids were actual people that existed in different form? What if their world collided with ours and sometimes these otherworldly people visited ours? Here we tell two tales when fairies and mermaids were lost and found in our world. The Green Fairies of Woolpit In the twelfth century, there was a town in England called Woolpit. One day, this quiet town became astir with the stories of a mysterious boy and girl found by a villager. Thought to be brother and sister, and missing their parents, these kids didn’t look normal. There was doubt they were even human. Their skin was green and they spoke an unidentifiable language. And their clothes were made of strange fabric. The villagers took the children in and the entire town of Woolpit marveled at the green children from a distant land. For days the children didn’t eat, until finally they came across a couple raw beans. They gorged themselves. So the villagers continued to provide the green children beans to eat. The Green Children Tell Their Story… Eventually, the children learned the villagers’ language and were questioned thereafter. They said they came from a place called Saint Martin’s Land, where the sun isn’t as bright and it’s always twilight. Their land was “Christian” and that the day they got lost they were in the fields with their sheep. They heard bells ringing and then found themselves mysteriously in a field in Woolpit. It was concluded the two children should be baptized, and so they were. The boy ended up dying shortly after, but the girl survived. She adapted to Woolpit society and even married a man in Lynne. They said her ways were wanton, or loose, compared to the other women of that day and age. Who or What Were the Green Children of Woolpit? This story was documented by a man named William of Newburgh in 1189. And written once more by Ralph of Coggeshall in 1220. Today scholars debate whether the story was just “folklore” – a symbolic story about diseased Flemish orphans taken in by Woolpit villagers. Some say they were fairy-children from underneath the earth, who slipped into our world and got lost. Others say they were extraterrestrial. To me, their green skin, otherworldly language, and the fact they claimed to have lived in a twilight-place underground confirms they were fairy-children. Today in the town of Woolpit, there’s a sign with the silhouette of the two Green Children of Woolpit. Mermaids on the Isle of Man One of my most favorite real mermaid sighting was more than just a sighting…it was a close encounter. On the Isle of Man, in the late seventeen hundreds, two men from Douglas found two strange creatures stranded on the rocks. They heard a kitten-like cry, and when they got closer, they realized there were mermaids. The two-foot-long creatures had green seaweed-like hair, green skin and purple scales on their tails. One of the merchildren was dead, but the other still alive, so they took it home to help it. The Care and Feeding of the Mer-Child The British Press published an article on the mermaid discovery in 1810, which stated the merman was kept by one of the men who found it. He kept it in a tub of water, and fed it mussels and shell-fish. At the time the article was published, it was said the merman was still alive and being cared for. No one knows what happened to the creature, or if the published article was a hoax or real. Other Mermaid Encounters on the Isle of Man The thing about the Isle of Man is mermaid sightings have been going on for centuries. There was a time when less ships sailed around the Isle of Man, which allowed for the merfolk to become comfortable there Many people saw these creatures. In addition to the merchildren, there was another tale of a mermaid caught in a sailor’s net. She refused to eat anything, and so he released her. Bystanders said they saw her dive into the water, where mermaids were waiting for her, and they asked her what she thought of humans. She replied they were “dumb for throwing out the water they boil their eggs in!” Do You Believe in Fairies and Mermaids? There are many fanciful things in this world to be doubted. Things that seem too fantastical to believe. Like fairies and mermaids. Or are they so hard to believe in? If we immerse ourselves in the folklore of our ancestors, we’d notice an obvious pattern – nearly every culture had their version of fairies and mermaids. How is this possible that every culture, some that supposedly never came in contact with one another, all had their own stories of these creatures if they didn’t exist in some regard? What if fairies and mermaids were something else? Consider this: fairies might not be winged spirits but an actual species of people who were driven into the woods, caves, under mounds, etc. in ancient times. They’ve been seen and believed in for centuries before the Industrial Revolution, and after. And how about mermaids? What if they are just a different species in the evolutionary chain? If you believe in evolution, why is it so hard to believe that a human-like creature didn’t emerge from the ocean and became half-fish half-human? If we believe in God, angels, demons, ghosts, etc., the belief in fairies and mermaids is not far-fetched. And if they don’t exist? At least we can find whimsy in the possibility. Otherwise, life is just plain boring. Here’s MORE on Fairies & Mermaids: Native American Beliefs in Fairies Mermaid Origins: Lemuria and Atlantis 8 REAL Mermaid Encounters

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8 REAL Mermaid Sightings from Israel, Africa and More

kitty fields — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:45:22 +0000

Mermaids are one of those mythical creatures that have haunted our imaginations for thousands of years. There are literally hundreds of mermaid legends spanning continents dating back centuries. Why are there so many stories of mermaids, if there isn’t some kind of truth behind the legend? Turns out, real mermaid sightings have happened in recent years from Israel to Africa to Canada! Perhaps they’re more than just mythical… 1. A Real Mermaid Sighting in Israel What happened and when: In 2009 a huge hub-bub in Israel swept the nation; one could call it the “mermaid craze.” What happened? On a small beach in Kiryat Yam, a real mermaid sighting took place, leaving the city and the entire country enthralled. For a period of several months, locals and tourists witnessed a real mermaid appear and then disappear into the ocean. The sighting: The woman, or mermaid, had the tail of a fish and the upper body of a lady, was beautiful. She was at first mistaken to be a sunbathing tourist by a few local men. Then, as they drew closer to the woman on the beach, they noticed she had a tail. She then dove into the water and into the sunset, without resurfacing for air even once. They knew then that they had experienced a real mermaid sighting. The craze: This is what began the mermaid craze in Israel. After that first real mermaid sighting, more individuals claimed to have seen this real mermaid. She only appeared at sunset and seemed to play tricks on eyewitnesses, never allowing them to get too close to her before splashing into the sea never to be seen again. The aftermath: The town of Kiryat Yam saw a major increase in tourism after this mermaid craze. They even offered an award of one million dollars to the person who could catch the mermaid on film. Of course, no one ever did get that real mermaid sighting evidence that the town so longed for. But we can still hope. 2. Mermaid Songs A friend of mine told me a story of how her father heard mermaids singing from within the depths of the ocean. He and his mates were in submarines and would hear the seductive song of mermaids emanating from the ocean waves. Some men would even jump off the vessel while in a trance from the mermaids’ songs. 3. Antartica: The “Ningen” There have been real mermaid sightings, or what the Japanese have called “ningen” sightings, in the waters off the coast of Antartica. These sea creatures appear to be very human-like, but are completely white and obviously live under the water just as other mermaids of legend. 4. Mermaids in the Middle Ages During the Middle Ages in the twelfth century, a merman was caught from the waters off the coast of Orfold Castle in Suffolk. The owners of the castle held the merman for about six months, but then escaped and returned to his home in the ocean. The stories say that this merman was quiet—he apparently never said a single word to his captors, and would only eat fish when provided with meals. 5. Real Mermaids in Dyfed In Dyfed, twelve people watched a beautiful mermaid bathing in the water. She had the body of a beautiful human woman, but a black tail splashed from behind her. This real mermaid sighting occurred in July of 1826 and was talked about for years after the occurrence. 6. Mermaids in Zimbabwe Mermaids were seen and heard in Zimbabwe in 2002 from men who were working on a reservoir. They were driven away by mermaids, and wouldn’t return to work again. A mermaid report was published in the papers and backed by the Minister Nkomo. Apparently, all of the workers were terrified to go back to work and so the resolution was to brew traditional beer and offer it to appease the mermaids. After they did this, they were able to return to work on the reservoir. 7. Canadian Mermaid Sightings In British Columbia, Canada, a real mermaid sighting occurred in 1967 when people saw a woman with the tail of a dolphin. She had beautiful blonde hair and was spotted eating salmon. Some tourists on the ferry actually saw this mermaid in Active Pass near Victoria. The town went nuts for the mermaid, but she has not been seen since. 8. Mer-child Sighting on the Isle of Man One intriguing story, written and published in the British Press in 1810, tells of mer-children found on the Isle of Man. Apparently, a fisherman thought he heard a dying bird and went toward the noise. There he found one dead mer-child and another that had been injured in a recent storm. He took the injured mer-child home and nursed it back to health. The mer-children were under two feet in length, had the torso of a normal child and the tail of a fish. Also, their hair was like seaweed, stringy and green. The mer-child ate mussels provided by the man and sometimes drank milk. What Do YOU Think? Do Mermaids Exist? Most modern people will deny the possibility of the existence of mermaids. But our ancient and Medieval ancestors might disagree. I believe there’s too many legends and sightings worldwide to definitively say there are no mermaids or mer-beings. Maybe they existed once and their numbers are dwindling now with overfishing and too many ships on the oceans. Maybe they exist but are in hiding. While it seems far-fetched, I don’t believe we can attribute these sightings to mere mix-ups. You and I would both know the difference between a seal and a mer-child if we caught one in our nets and took it home, don’t you think? Read More About Mermaids: Mermaid Origins: Lemuria & Atlantis Scottish & Irish Mermaids: Selkies, Kelpies and More

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Scottish & Irish Mermaids: Merrows, Selkies, the Water Kelpie & More

kitty fields — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 07:41:49 +0000

Mermaids have been a part of mythology for centuries—more like thousands of years. In fact, if one digs deep enough, one may find a story of a mermaid in almost every culture and ancient society around the world…though they might call the mermaid something different depending on the region. In this article, we will take a look at the inspiring and thrilling legends of the Scottish & Irish mermaid and mythical water creatures including merrows, selkies, and water kelpies. Merrows: The Irish Mermaid & Merman In Ireland there are many tales of the “wee folk” (fairies), and not surprisingly, the people have their version of the mermaid/merman called merrows. Sailors and people who lived by the seashore had a whole gamut of merrow lore, and many still tell the enchanting tales today. In writer W.B. Yeats’ collection of Irish folk tales, there is an entire section dedicated to stories of merrows. According to legend, the merrow has a greenish tint to its skin with webbed fingers, the tail of a fish, and seaweed-green hair. The Soul-Stealing Irish Mermaid One particularly frightening story of the Irish mermaid tells the tale of male merrows who capture the drowned souls of sailors and trap them in pots. These pots are sunk at the bottom of the sea, never to release the poor sailors’ souls…unless a willing human being were to release them. The male merrows were said to be malevolent and incredibly ugly. Perhaps this is why we have stories of female merrows seducing human men. The females would seduce young men by singing to them and then drag them under the waves to the bottom of the sea. No one knows what happened to these men, were they made into merrows themselves or did they drown? The Merrows’ Magical Red Cap One particularly interesting aspect of these Gaelic legends is the merrows were only able to swim underwater with the aid of magic—a magical red “cap” they wore on their heads. If a person stole the merrows’ cap and never returned it, the merrows would then be unable to return to their home underwater. In one legend, an Irish man uses the red cap to visit a male merrow’s home under the sea. Lost & Found: Merrows Probably my favorite story of a real mermaid encounter is the story of an Irish man who found two dying merrows on the seashore. Apparently they washed up to shore from a bad storm. One was badly hurt and the other was dead. The man wanted to help the merrow and took the merrow home to nurse it back to health. He kept the merrow in a tub of water and fed it shellfish and milk. The boy merrow would not drink or eat anything else offered to him. This occurred in the 1800’s and was a big story in the local paper. Selkies: Seal-Women of Shetland A lesser known legend of a supernatural sea creature is that of the selkie. The selkie is a seal-person, or a being that is able to change forms between a seal and a human being, depending on if he/she is on land or sea. This legend comes from Orkney and Shetland but can be heard in tales across Ireland and Scotland, as well as in Iceland. According to legend, selkies are shapeshifters, shedding their seal-skins when they come to land. Selkies as Wives There are numerous stories about selkie women who are captured by sailors and taken onto land with them to be made into their loyal wives. The men were said to have hidden the selkie’s seal-skin in order to keep her bound to the land. Unfortunately for these men, most of the time the selkie woman has an insatiable longing for the ocean..and if she finds her hidden seal-skin? Well, she puts it on and runs back to her home under the waves, never to be seen again. Male Selkies The seal-men or selkie males are said to be very attractive (as opposed to male merrows who were ugly), and legend has it that if a woman wants to have a selkie-lover she need only cry seven tears into the water and he will appear to her. Usually these love stories are tragic and end in more tears for the human lovers. Frequently, selkies are malevolent and will seduce humans to the water and drag them under, and still other stories tell of selkies saving drowning sailors. Origin of Selkies There are theories of origin for selkies. One of them says that the selkies were merely women from Northern cultures that wore skins and used animal-skins on their kayaks. They came from the sea, and so therefore the legend of the seal-woman was born. Or perhaps the legend comes from old sailor stories where indeed they had sightings of seals and imagined these seals to be beautiful women instead. Today selkies are used as characters in movies, television shows, and books all over the world. Water Kelpies: Scottish Water Horse Water horse spirits are prevalent in folklore worldwide.The water kelpie is a Scottish water horse spirit. The kelpie legend is so popular, there is a large statue in Falkirk that’s quite a popular tourist attraction today. The Scottish water kelpie is a spirit that inhabits bodies of water known as lochs in Scotland. The debate persists today on whether water kelpies are benevolent or malevolent creatures, as it varies by legend. The water kelpie is a large black horse shifts into human form at will (among others). The Evil Water Kelpies Some believe water kelpies were evil creatures, even demons, that drowned and/or ate human beings. This story was told to deter small children from going too near the water. Another legend says water kelpies shifted into good-looking young men and seduced women. Eventually dragging them into a watery grave. Even when the kelpie was in human form, it retained it’s horse hooves. Some say there’s a connection between the kelpie and the Christian’s devil because […]

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Mermaid Origins: Lost Civilizations of Lemuria and Atlantis

kitty fields — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 17:59:49 +0000

Where do mermaids come from? Mermaid legends are told all over the world. We hear of mermaids in Ireland, Scotland, England, Israel, India, Greece, Syria, China, and in Africa. How is it that so many different cultures across the world have their own mermaid legends? How is it that cultures far away from one another have similar tales of mermaids? Most people believe mermaids are mythical creatures fit for a kid’s imagination and nothing more. But legends come from somewhere. Truth lies behind every legend, including the legends of mermaids and where they come from. A new age concept tells us mermaid origins come from lost civilizations like Lemuria and Atlantis. Learn more below. Mermaids & Lost Civilizations: Lemuria and Atlantis There were once civilizations of beings who were much different than modern humans. The beings that lived before us were human-like; however, they had different DNA. Today we would consider these beings extraterrestrial. One of these prehistoric civilizations, now called a “Lost Land”, was Lemuria (a.k.a. Mu or Motherland). In Lemuria, there were beings with the ability to shapeshift. Some Lemurian shapeshifters could breathe underwater. This was the origin of the mermaid legend. In Lucy Cavendish’s book Lost Lands, she explains their ability to breathe underwater is attributed to a hole that was located in the third eye spot. The water was breathed in and out through this hole. Cavendish has past life memories of being a mermaid in Lemuria, and was connected with the land and sea around her. Yet another question is where did these mermaid beings come from BEFORE they lived in Atlantis and Lemuria? Some believe they were originally from another planet, specifically from the Orion constellation. Starseeds believe the planet Mintaka was covered in diamond-like waters and they say this is where whales and dolphins come from originally. Learn more about Mintaka here. The Fall of Atlantis Many people have past life memories of Lemuria – memories of swimming underwater with dolphins and whales. Some say they could walk right onto land and breathe the air too. So what happened to the mermaids and shifters from the lost civilizations? When Lemuria began to collapse, mermaids migrated to Atlantis with extraterrestrials and other shapeshifters. Unfortunately, there were darker beings that tried to mutate the Lemurian mermaid DNA leading to the destruction of Atlantis. Some of the mermaids escaped the fall of Atlantis, while many perished in the catastrophe along with the other beings. If they escaped, where did they go? What happened to the mermaids and mermen? Mermaid Origins: Migration out of the Lost Civilizations Legends of mermaids permeate cultures all over the world, from Asia to Africa. From Europe to North America and beyond. Is it possible that evolution could have gone a separate way when we were developing from mere fish as some theories suggest? Could these fish have evolved into mermaids and mermen who still live in the oceans today? Why are there so many legends and sightings if mermaids don’t actually exist? If Lemuria and Atlantis could’ve existed, who’s to say mermaids and shapeshifters didn’t reside in these ancient cities along with human beings? This story of ancient times could be true. If the mermaids and shapeshifters left Lemuria and Atlantis and spread out across the world, this would explain the hundreds of mermaid legends all over the globe. What do you think? Could mermaids and mermen be real? What about the stories of Lemuria and Atlantis? Mermaids in Greece After the fall of Atlantis, the Lemurian and Atlantean refugees started new lives and built new civilizations. One of those civilizations became Greece. This is how the mermaid legends were passed down through time. One of the Greek mermaid legends tells of the siren. The Sirens were mermaids who lured sailors to their deaths using just their voices; however, in Homer’s Odyssey, sirens were depicted as bird-women. This indicates the ability to shapeshift, similar to the Lemurian mermaids. In other Greek legend, Alexander the Great’s sister turned into a mermaid following her untimely death. Mermaids and mermen appear in other tales from ancient Greece, and also in other ancient civilizations like Sumeria and Babylon. Mermaid Origins: The Ancient Celts and Mermaids The ancient Celts also had legends of mermaid origins. There were stories of merrows, selkies, finfolk, and ben-varry. These creatures could breathe underwater but also on land. Depending on the region, mermaids and mermen could be helpful or downright dangerous. Mermaid sightings have been documented in Europe dating back centuries. My favorite mermaid sighting story was of a man who found two mermaid children dying on a cliff by the sea. He took the surviving mermaid home and nursed it back to health. The mermaid child never talked but would eat shellfish and stayed in a tub in the man’s home. The man believed the mer-children had washed to shore during a sea storm a few nights prior to. The man was a good soul and returned the mermaid back to its home in the sea. This story was published in a local newspaper in the 1800’s. Selkies A different mermaid story is the story of the selkie. The selkie is thought to be a shapeshifter – one who can change from a seal to a man or woman when on land. This legend is often compared to the swan maiden and the frog prince. Men and women would fall hopelessly in love with selkies because they were gorgeous in their human form. There are even tales of men marrying selkie women, only to have their hearts broken when the selkie woman leaves and returns to the sea, never to be seen again. One legend says a woman can cry seven tears into the sea to call up a selkie man for love. Some say the story of the selkie was created by lonely sailors on long voyages away from home. They would see a seal and be mistaken for a lovely woman perched on a rock or seashore. What Do You […]

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