Difficulty: Challenger (Level 3)
Mermaids – underwater creatures that are half fish and half human – do not exist except in people’s imaginations. Scientists who study the ocean have investigated their possible existence and say no evidence of mermaids has ever been found.
But even though mermaids are not real, that does not mean they are not meaningful.
Mermaids, or merfolk as they are sometimes called, have a long history and are known all over the world – the same way dragons, fairies and unicorns are.
Many types of mermaids
Some of the earliest mermaid stories come from ancient Greek mythology over 3,000 years ago.
The Greeks imagined lots of creatures that were part human and part animal, like harpies, which were half bird and half human, and centaurs, which were part horse and part human.
Some of their mermaids were good, like the Greek goddess Atargatis, who protected humans. Others were dangerous, like the Sirens, who sang beautiful songs that made sailors crash their ships into rocks and sink.
Stories about Irish mermaids, called “merrows,” date back 1,000 years. In these stories, they were also considered a sign of bad luck.
Mermaid bodies have been imagined differently in different places. For instance, Japan has a legend about a mermaid called a “ningyo”, which is mostly a fish but has a human face. In Europe, there were mermaids called “melusines” who had two fish tails.
In many places, mermaids were used as symbols of power and wealth.
For example, the city of Warsaw in Poland has a legend of a mermaid who is considered to be the protector of the city. They have a huge statue of her, and she is even featured on the city’s coat of arms.
Many castles in Europe also have mermaid symbols to demonstrate royal power and wealth – even in countries with no oceans, like Austria.
Why mermaids?
Why did so many people around the world imagine them throughout history?
Superstitious sailors, such as Christopher Columbus, reported seeing mermaids on their travels, but scientists and historians think they probably saw real animals, like manatees or seals.
People have long created stories to help explain all kinds of things they couldn’t understand. Stories also help people understand their own dreams, desires and fears.
Mermaids are also important because they are a shared idea that has linked people together around the world for a very long time.
This article was first published in The Conversation. It was written by Peter Goggin, an associate professor of English at Arizona State University in the US.
Suggested answers
Stop and think: Some cultures view mermaids in a positive light, while others view them negatively. For example, many countries in Europe use mermaids as a symbol of power and wealth. However, some depictions of mermaids portray them as evil, such as the Sirens in Greek mythology. In Ireland, ‘merrows’ were considered bad luck. Their appearance can vary as well. For instance, Japan has a legend about a mermaid called a “ningyo”, which is mostly a fish but has a human face.
