Rachel Federman - Mermania

mermaid

WHOSE DEAD BODY WASHED UP ON THE BEACH AT CULLA BAY ON BENBECULA, ONE OF SCOTLAND’S WESTERN ISLES.

A 1900 account

TRACED HER DEATH TO AN ATTACK AT SGEIR NA DUCHADH A FEW DAYS EARLIER.

It is said her body is buried there near the sea.

LOOK CLOSELY AT THE MAP OF THE

‘New World’

FROM 1562, CALLED THE AMERICAS, OR A NEW AND PRECISE DESCRIPTION OF THE FOURTH PART OF THE WORLD.

two mermaids

CAN BE SEEN, FLOATING CLOSE TO A SHIP NEAR THE TIP OF TODAY’S SOUTH AMERICA.

‘THERE ONCE WAS A VICAR IN BUDE, WHO DID SOMETHING UNCOMMONLY RUDE. HE SWAM OUT TO A ROCK, DONNED SEAWEED FOR LOCKS, AND SANG WHILE HE BATHED IN THE NUDE.’

True story.

IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY, ROBERT STEPHEN HAWKER OF CORNWALL, ENGLAND, SWAM OUT TO A ROCK, SANG IN IMITATION OF A MERMAID FOR THREE NIGHTS, HIS HEAD DRAPED IN SEAWEED, AND ATTRACTED QUITE A CROWD. AFTER THE THIRD NIGHT HE PLUNGED INTO THE WATER AND WAS NEVER SEEN IN THAT FORM AGAIN.

Are there such things as male mermaids?

INDEED – THEY’RE CALLED

mermen.

THE GREEK GOD TRITON, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKS LIKE WHAT YOU MIGHT IMAGINE A MERMAN TO BE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE MALE MERROW COOMARA (‘SEA-HOUND’) HAS GREEN TEETH AND SCALY LEGS.

Take a look at your cup the next time you’re at Starbucks.

YOU’LL SEE THE WOMAN IN

the logo

is a two-tailed mermaid,

THOUGH THE GRAPHIC HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY SINCE 1971 WHEN IT FIRST APPEARED AND SHOWED A LOT MORE SKIN (AND SCALES).

The company’s name came before its logo.

STARBUCKS CAME FROM MR STARBUCK, FIRST MATE OF THE PEQUOD IN HERMAN MELVILLE’S CLASSIC MOBY-DICK .

TO CONTINUE THE MARITIME THEME, ADVERTISING CONSULTANT TERRY HECKLER CREATED THE ICONIC MERMAID

logo we know today.

IF TOURING CORNWALL (FOR ITS MERMAID LORE, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON), YOU’LL WANT TO AVOID THE

Doom Bar

WHERE THE RIVER CAMEL MEETS THE SEA. LOCAL LEGEND ATTRIBUTES ITS CREATION TO A MERMAID’S REVENGE FOR HER DEATH AT THE HANDS OF A SAILOR. TRUE OR NOT, MANY A SHIP HAS BEEN DESTROYED ON THIS SANDBANK.

IN JAPANESE FOLKLORE,

eating Ningyo

(mermaids)

IS SAID TO GRANT LONGEVITY.

‘The water spirits were known under such names as oreades, nereides, limoniades, naiades, water sprites, sea maids, mermaids, and potamides. Often the water nymphs derived their names from the streams, lakes, or seas in which they dwelt.’

– THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES , MANLY P. HALL (1928)

IN 2009, SEVERAL

independent reports of mermaid sightings

IN THE SMALL TOWN OF KIRYAT YAM, ON THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF ISRAEL, LED TO AN OFFER OF

$1 million

FOR THE LUCKY PHOTOGRAPHER WHO MANAGED TO CAPTURE THE CREATURE ON FILM.

So far the reward has gone unclaimed.

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