In many popular books, films and cartoons, the mermaid is presented as a beautiful woman or young girl with a long fishtail instead of legs. However, in fact, such an image is far from the only option. In addition, it is in many ways contrary to ancient mythology.
Mermaids with legs and tails
In Western European myths, mermaids were often presented as half-women, half-fish, luring sailors into traps. They charmed the men and dragged them into the water with them. Later, kinder images of mermaids appeared, which became popular thanks to the cinema.
Slavic mermaids and Germanic undines, on the other hand, were not half fish. In many ways, they resembled ordinary girls, with the only difference that these creatures had very pale skin. According to some beliefs, young drowned women and deceased unbaptized girls turned into mermaids. In fact, after the transformation, their appearance changed slightly and in this case we are not talking about growing a tail or scales. There are even stories in which men confuse mermaids with ordinary bathing women and fall for the tricks of evil spirits. However, there are also myths in which mermaids are described as creatures with mud instead of hair, green curls, or other obvious external differences from ordinary women.
In the cultures of some settlements, including Belarusian villages, the image of a mermaid is mixed with the image of a kikimora. In this case, the mermaid is presented not as a beautiful young girl, but as a woman with a disgusting flabby body, matted hair full of tangles, and saggy breasts. However, this is more the exception than the rule.
Other features of the appearance of mermaids
The classic mermaid, regardless of whether she walks on land on two legs or swims in the water with the help of a fish tail, almost always boasts long, thick strands. Her hair is usually loose. Often, men find mermaids doing their favorite pastime - combing curls. Considering that before the hairstyle and hats of women and girls were of particular importance, the loose hair of mermaids is an important sign. By the way, the head of a mermaid is most often decorated with wreaths.
Mermaids tend to walk or swim naked. If they want to hide their nakedness, they can do it by covering their bodies with long thick hair. However, in some myths, mermaids, departing a considerable distance from water bodies, dress in long and wide white shirts, replacing them with a dress. Another option is long, torn sundresses. It is in such clothes that mermaids frolic and dance in the meadows. There are also beliefs according to which mermaids, returning to life, wear the clothes in which they were buried.
