Maidens of the Deep
Bridging the Gap: From Serpent to Fish
Last time, I talked about sea maidens in Asia, and how they compare to their Northern European cousins. They obviously have a common link, which seems to be the true story of the Fall of Man as recorded in Genesis.
But…they look so different! Sometimes it’s hard to see the link until you have an example. And fortunately, we have two tales that bridge this divide, linking east and west…
Sirens: Bridging East and West
It would be unconscionable to do a series on mermaids without touching on the sirens, however briefly. In our culture, sirens and mermaids have become synonyms, meaning a half-fish, half-woman creature.
But they didn’t start out that way. The actual Greek Sirens from mythology were half-bird, half-women. Not quite as alluring, is it?
That’s ok, because they were not meant to allure men – not with their bodies at least. Fascinatingly, they allured with knowledge.[1]