Who are the mermaids and where did they come from

In Slavic mythology, a mermaid is something like Celtic mermaids or Greek sirens. One way or another, most agree that mermaids are beautiful young women who live in ponds and love to seduce men.

The history of mermaids comes from the Slavic pagan tradition, where young women were symbols of fertility. These nymphs did not interfere too much with ordinary human life and mainly served to provide life-giving moisture to fields and forests every spring when they went ashore to dance in the moonlight. It was believed that water spirits help the abundant growth of crops, so they are usually treated with respect.

In the modern era, another myth has arisen around attractive young women living in water. Since the 19th century in the literature they began to be referred to as a harmful spirit that appears in the summer. While the pagan water nymph originated naturally, the mermaid has a fairly diverse history of origin. Usually they involve young women dying by violent death. Sometimes it is murder, sometimes suicide, but it is always associated with drowning. Mermaids often became women betrayed by husbands or lovers. Some of them are young girls who jumped into the lake because they became pregnant outside of marriage. Other origin stories say that a mermaid is any young woman who dies a virgin, regardless of whether her death was violent or natural.

Other myths say that babies who die before baptism turn into water spirits.

It is said that many mermaids have a limited life. These souls linger in the water until their time on earth ends or are avenged. This is in the event that a violent death has occurred.

According to popular beliefs, mermaids live not only in ponds (lakes, rivers and swamps), but can also be located on tall trees. They like to swing on the branches. In a pine forest sometimes there are trees near which grass does not grow. This was considered a sign that mermaids were dancing around them and trampling it.

In some places in Russia, mermaids were presented as little girls, very thin, with green eyes and hair to the heels. In the northern regions they were portrayed as disheveled women with a huge bust.

Researchers note that a single, formed view does not exist. Moreover, in different countries they are called in their own way. In the north of Russia - a joke, in Ukraine - a mavka, in Belarus - a water drop.

The nature of the mermaids also depends on geography. If the mermaid lives in fruitful places with fertile soils, for example, in Ukraine or in the Danube River region, then her character is light and playful. In more severe northern conditions, mermaids became wild and evil. They got out of the water in the middle of the night to ambush people and drag them into the depths of the reservoir.

According to popular beliefs, mermaids are immersed in water in the fall and sit there all winter, waiting for the summer. A week before the Trinity, at the Green Christmas time, they go on land and walk until the end of summer. In the Russian Week, they ride trees, run through the fields, and can tickle any pretty guy to death. Therefore, from Trinity to the Spirit of the day in open water they tried not to swim.

Watch the video: Did Humans Force Mermaids into Hiding? Mermaids (April 2024).