Long, gorgeous hair. Delicate accessories made out of coral and seashells. A long, scaled fishtail instead of legs. Crab sidekicks with ridiculously catchy songs.
Describing a mermaid seems like an easy task, but nothing further from the truth.
Humanity’s creativity is as vast as the ocean itself, so multiple cultures developed their own myths about these daughters of the sea.
You can almost say they have many different… mermaid tails.
Before you can groan at that pun, pick your favorite mermaid playlist and get ready to discover the many pikes of mermaids you can find around the world, alongside book suggestions to deepen your knowledge!
Merrows (Ireland)
Gentle and benevolent, the Irish merrows or murdúchann had long green hair, a fishtail, and a distinctive magical cap named cohuleen druith, which granted them the ability to swim to the bottom of the ocean.
While merrow-maidens were said to be beautiful, the male of the species was described as hideous. Subsequently, the ladies would often seek male sailors—and that’s okay. I’d have done that too.
Merrows could shift their tail with legs while on land, which allowed some sweet interspecies loving with humans. However, they always longed for the sea after some years, so unscrupulous husbands hid their cohuleen druith to keep them on land forever.
You know, romance!
You can discover the haunting beauty of merrows by reading Mermaids: The Myths, Legends and Lore by Skye Alexander, a compilation of mermaid mythology and tales.
Mami Wata (Africa)
Mami Wata is a powerful deity worshipped by some religions in Africa.
She rules over every body of water but is also a goddess of magic, fertility, healing, riches, and fidelity. She’s described as strikingly beautiful and coquettish, fond of combing her long hair or decorating her body with jewelry and expensive goods.
In other words, Mami Wata is one high note away from being the Mariah Carey of deities.
Much like water itself, Mami Wata is both protective and dangerous. She enjoys blessing her followers but is also known to seduce men and demand them perpetual fidelity, lest they risk being cursed by her.
You can read about the magic of Mami Wata and other African mermaid-like beings in Varla Ventura’s Among the Mermaids: Facts, Myths, and Enchantments from the Sirens of the Sea, a must for any mermaid lover.
Jiaoren (China)
If merrows are lovestruck maidens and Mami Wata is a powerful and seductive goddess, the Chinese Jiaoren stands out as remarkable craftswomen.
China’s production of goods has always been exceptional, after all.
Outstandingly gorgeous, the jiaorenlived in the South Sea and spent their time weaving a magical cloth named Dragon Yarn. In tales, they had an enchanted marketplace where they sold it to the few humans that could find it.
Similarly, the jiaoren had magical tears that turned into pearls. Many ancient Chinese tales feature grateful jiaoren repaying kind humans with jars full of tears, a practice that we suggest you don’t attempt with your friends.
You can try to find the address to the jiaoren market in Mary Pope Osborn’s Mermaid Tales from Around the World,a wonderful collection of folktales and myths from under the sea.
Iara (Brazil)
South America has its own take on the mermaid tale, a freshwater maiden that inhabits the waters of the Amazon River and its tributaries.
The Iara, also called Yara, often appeared as a beautiful woman of copper skin, lovely eyes and beautiful hair. Her bottom half was that of a marine creature, frequently a boto or manatee.
Much like the Greek sirens—who were not mermaids themselves—the Iara sings enchanting songs with a melodious voice, to lure men to their doom. Men who escaped their clutches went insane, and the ones who went to them disappeared underwater forever.
Reports of what happens if women encounter the Iara are nonexistent, but we choose to assume it’d be a high-five.
Discover the different types of merfolk to be found across the world through Ari Berk’s beautiful illustrated guide The Secret History of Mermaids and Creatures of the Deep.
Ningyo (Japan)
We’ve talked nonstop of mermaids as beings of beauty and grace.
Japanese mermaids are… not pretty. In fact, we can’t even say they have a friendly personality to compensate, either.
The ningyo is only a mermaid in the strictest sense of the word—half-human, half-fish being. Or 75% fish and 15% human. Sometimes only their face is female, while in other legends the torso also has human features.
According to myth, eating the flesh of the nightmarish ningyo will grant eternal life and youth. However, they are known to curse anyone who attempts to capture them, including their family and hometown.
A real delight.
Heidi Anne Heiner explores the ningyo and other mermaid myths in her book Mermaid and Other Water Spirit Tales From Around the World, a historically-accurate guide to anything mermaid.
And many, many more!
Come on—71% of Earth’s surface is water. Of course there are many more mermaids to discuss around the world!
The European Melusine, the Scottish Selkie, and even the mermaid princess Suvannamaccha from Southeast Asia are examples of mermaid tales you need to know.
And just as mermaid tales are abundant, so are book options for you to discover them.
Brenda Rosen offers you the opportunity to understand mermaids and yourself at the same time with Mermaid Wisdom: Enrich Your Life with Insights from the Deep. Similarly, D.J. Conway mixes mythological tales with a touch of modern magic in Magickal Mermaids and Water Creatures.
Submerging in the ocean isn’t the only way to discover mermaids—books work just as well.