Merman
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Merman (17th century) |
Ethel Merman was an actress.Mermen are mythical
male legendary creatures who are
human from the
waist up and
fish-like from the waist down, whose
consorts were their
female counterparts, the more commonly known
mermaids. In
Greek mythology, mermen were often illustrated to have green
seaweed-like hair, a beard, and a
trident.
The actions and behavior of mermen can vary wildly depending on the source and time period of the stories. They have been said to sink ships by summoning great storms, but also said to be wise teachers, according to earlier mythology. A merman, like a mermaid, attracts humans with singing and tones.
The most well-known merman was probably
Triton, son of
Poseidon and
Amphitrite. Although Amphitrite gave birth to a merman, neither Poseidon nor Amphitrite were
merfolk, although both were able to live under water as easily as on land. Triton was also known as the
Trumpeter of the Sea for his usage of a
conch shell.
Other noteworthy mermen were the
Babylonian
Oannes and
Ea and the
Sumerian
Enki.
Another notable merman from Greek mythology was
Glaucus. He was born a human and lived his early life as a fisherman. One day, while fishing, he saw that the fish he caught would jump from the grass and into the sea. He ate some of the grass, believing it to have magical properties, and felt an overwhelming desire to be in the sea. He jumped in the ocean and refused to go back on land. The sea gods nearby heard his prayers and transformed him into a sea god. Ovid describes the transformation of Glaucus in the Metamorpheses, describing him as a blue-green man with a fishy member where his legs had been.
Norse mythology, in particular Icelandic folklore has mermen, known as Marbendlar.
*In
UFOlogy, the alien race called
Nommos are mermen from
Sirius who, according to some authors, visited
Ancient Egypt.
*In the movie
Zoolander, the miners at the bar are all laughing at Zoolander's "mermaid" commercial. He then responds with "Merman!"
*
Erotica author Megan Hussey has written several romantic e-books pertaining to the merman legend, including "A Good Catch" and "Prince of the Seas," released through Silk's Vault publishing, and the upcoming story "Passion Storm" in Midnight Showcase's upcoming "Merlicious" anthology (to be released in print, audio and e-book versions).
