Maidens of the Deep
Historical Mermaids: Caught in Transition
Last week we discussed the attributes of the Celtic priestesses who became our “mermaids.” What did these powerful women do when faced with Christianity? Fortunately, our stories show us some tantalizing glimpses…
The Lady of the Lake
As I said last week, I got the idea of mermaid stories having their roots in historical priestesses from Norma Lorre Goodrich’s King Arthur.[1] Although she did not make this connection, the Arthur myths seem to (almost) perfectly capture the transition from priestess to water spirit. One of these women is the Lady of the Lake, who I believe to be a remnant of the undine tradition.