about mermaids:
mermaids aren’t real. Still, they have fascinated people for thousands of years. But what exactly is a mermaid? When most people hear the word “mermaid,” they think of a creature that’s half-human, half-animal. Specifically, they usually picture a woman whose legs have been replaced by the long tail of a fish. Of course, the stories of mermaids also include male mermaids, known as mermen. Together, mermaids and mermen make up merfolk! There are many stories of creatures that are half-human, half-animal. Mermaids are just one of the most popular. The history of mermaid legends and myths goes back a long time. It’s full of many versions of similar creatures all over the world. For example, the Babylonian fish god Era was a merman. Likewise, the Greek god Triton was a merman figure.
Both have been around for many hundreds of years. The first stories about mermaids, though, come from thousands of years ago. They’re from ancient Assyria. These stories say that the goddess Atargatis changed herself into a mermaid. She did so after she accidentally killed a human. This may be why many older mermaid legends associated them with bad luck. Old stories often blame mermaids for storms and shipwrecks. This view may also be the result of their connection with the mythological Greek creatures known as sirens. The sirens were popularized in Homer’s Odyssey. They were known to lure sailors into dangerous waters. They did so with their beauty and singing.In many other cultures, however, mermaids were seen as good creatures. They brought good luck. Some even fell in love with humans. These mermaids are the ones that have become popular in modern stories. This includes Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Little Mermaid" and Disney’s musical version of the tale.
