You know who the mermaids are. Who are mermaids - description, stories and interesting facts

Mermaid.  It seems that even those who are very vaguely familiar with Slavic mythology have heard about mermaids. The image is recognizable, present in many tales, literary works, you can see it in the paintings. We in the North believe that mermaids to this day exist. So many stories are told about them! But what are they, real mermaids?

The mermaid is a character of Slavic mythology, taking care of fields, forests and water. One of the most varied images of folk mysticism. The fact that mermaids exist was believed throughout Russia, but ideas about what kind of a real mermaid she was were different in different places.

Rcreature trashcomfort! Authentic northerntales

It would seem that this character is so fantastic that he remained only in fairy tales. But our northern bull-calves claim that real mermaids can be seen to this day.

Mermaids live in water, but can go outside. They are not too supportive of people, they should be feared:

They were small, so the old people told us that you should not swim after the rain, the mermaid washes there. Her hair is long. She’ll drag ...

Some pretty scary stories told about them:

Mermaids? Yes, I heard. Now there was no one, and before there was a lot of everything, a lot of stories were told.

One woman's son drowned. He swam well, swam well and then suddenly drowned. And it was in the summer, of course. Well, the people: “He dragged the water away!” And then, much time passed, she went to wash the river and looks, a girl is sitting on a stone, beautiful, but naked, her hair is black, long. She scratches them. That [woman] as she saw her, and her heart sank immediately. I was very frightened, standing, not breathing already. I was very afraid very much. But what a shocking fact! What are you! This mermaid will look at whom, as a person has become frozen, and will stand, for a long time it may, yes. That one is worth it. Suddenly the mermaid turns and says: “Your son is well, go home and don’t go here anymore.” And jumped into the water, and left the crest on the stone. And the son’s body was never found, it hurts deeply.

There are mermaids in the river now. They are like a man, hair is long, loose, sitting on a stone and hair is scratched. And there are breasts. In clumpy places they live. It comes out in the morning and evening.

Mermaids were also. Different species were shown: by a woman, and a man, and cattle. How to see. They will be seen and sick.

Grandmother is dead. Arriving was an uncle from Moscow. I went to the river. In a suit, dressing properly. The beautiful girl seemed to him. He wanted to buy, did it with his hands - and ducked into the river. I saw a nice girl, beautiful. And he came, pouring from him, and in a good suit was.

They were small, so the old people told us that you should not swim after the rain, the mermaid washes there. Her hair is long. She will drag.

There are mermaids in the rivers now. They say a cursed man turns to a mermaid. They are like a man, hair is long, loose, sitting on a stone and hair is scratched. And there are breasts. In clumpy places they live. It comes out in the morning and evening. And ass, like a man. Beautiful, breasts are like a woman's. She washed the linen, pounded it with a stick so that the dust would come out. I see the hair is long, loose. And they noticed, and she disappeared.

Shishikhs, mermaids, grab their feet and drown. Grandmas planted a whistle, and a woman entered the water. Someone pulls her, and then fingerprints on her legs.

They said that some one served in the navy, and she [the mermaid] came out, sang songs. And so he liked that he fell in love. And her love is real. And they made a baby. And what should the sailor do, how to bring her with her, because she does not know how to speak, and the child does not know how to speak. And sent him to another ship. She comes, looks where he is. And they show her: he left. Longed for much. And then tore the child and rushed into the water.

What does a real mermaid look like?Does she have a tail?

The image of the mermaid in books and paintings is quite recognizable - a beautiful girl with a fish tail. However, like many spirits of Slavic mythology, they can look differently:

Different species were shown: by a woman, and a man, and cattle. How to see.

But most often, real mermaids resemble beautiful young girls, naked, with long flowing hairs of greenish, blond or black color, which they constantly comb. Do mermaids have a tail? In the North of Russia, it was believed that mermaids in appearance are completely similar to people. After all, they not only sit in the water, but also move on land, can go into the mills, run along the banks of a river or reservoir, swing on the branches of trees. In the South of Russia it was said that mermaids live only in water, so they have a tail.

Although the real mermaid sometimes looks beautiful and seductive, her whole appearance suggests that she is an inanimate person. If you look closely, you can see closed or dull eyes, pale skin.

There are stories in which mermaids look like real monsters: unsightly, with long saggy breasts, sharp claws, completely covered with wool. It immediately becomes clear that such a creature will not be favorable to people at all.

How to become a mermaid?

Why are real mermaids so hostile to humans? Because they themselves were once people, but died too early or “wrong” (became a victim of a crime, committed suicide, died tragically) and became “mortgaged” dead. It was said that a deceased (especially drowned) child, a young girl, a young woman, or even anyone who died during a special week of the year, Rusalna, can become a mermaid. Mermaids draw people to the bottom of bathing at inopportune times and without blessing, when they meet on the shore they can attack and tickle to death, strangle with their long hair, lure women washing on the shore into the water. Those who died through the fault of these spirits also become mermaids. So that the souls of deceased young children or girls did not become mermaids, they observed special rituals at their funeral.

Why are mermaids dangerous?

Despite the rather romantic ideas about these spirits, they do not like living people, they seek to destroy them in order to replenish their ranks. Mermaids are especially active and dangerous during the Rusal week in May-June, during the flowering rye. Then they are most often shown to people. During this period, they advised not only to refrain from bathing in ponds, but also to approach the water in general, to walk in the forest.

When meeting with mermaids, it was necessary not to look at them - it is best to look at the ground. There were conspiracies against these spirits. They also advised them to pay off - to throw them some element of clothing, scallops, jewelry.

Mermaids still exist today, and our ancestors knew this very well. The spirits of nature surround us to this day. All Slavic mythology testifies to this. Studying it, we rediscover the world of environmental spirits.

More about Slavic mythology.

For many centuries, mermaids have occupied the imagination of both sailors and land inhabitants. Everyone was interested in who they were: people, animals or fish. Fortunately, there are still places on the planet where you can see their remains, and in some places - even their living.

1. Cancer with a mermaid's mummy (Fujinomiya, Japan)

2. Pond near the Big Bend Power Station (Apollo Beach, Florida, USA)

Manatees near are easiest to see in the warm wastewater of a Florida power plant. Warm water creates attractive living conditions for these creatures, which in some way can be considered mermaids.

3. Fijian mermaid at the Museum of Nature (Grafton, Vermont, USA)

The classic Fijian mermaid shown in the photographs is kept at the Vermont Museum of Nature. A rude monster with a terrible grimace does not at all look like a beautiful mermaid from legends. The ugly creature bears all the signs of a 19th century fake. He has a thick mustache on his face, so this is most likely a male.

4. Henyo - women of the sea (Jeju Island, South Korea)

The word henyo means "woman of the sea." Indeed, each of them has enough wetsuit and glasses for diving. The most experienced henyo can work at a depth of up to 20 meters. In fact, these Korean divers are somewhat reminiscent of mythical mermaids.

5. Mermaids from Wiki Weschi (Wiki Weschi, Florida, USA)

6. The Little Mermaid Statue (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Looking at the famous statue in Copenhagen, it seems as if it appeared from the depths of the sea, like the little mermaid from the tale of Hans Christian Andersen. The monument, created in 1913, attracts crowds of tourists from around the world. This, without a doubt, is a “reference” mermaid that immediately comes to mind: a beautiful girl from above with a fish tail from below.

Now mermaids are considered beauties. And a few centuries ago they took a place next to.

The question of the existence of mythical creatures has been exciting people for centuries. Some are sure that this is fiction, others trust the facts. Let's figure it out together.

In the article:

Do mermaids exist in real life - truth and fiction

Who are the mermaids? These are amazing creatures that are described in the traditions and myths that are prevalent throughout the planet. Confirmation of the existence of marine creatures can be found in various sources.


  They are all dated at different times. Those who managed to meet with mermaids, in different ways. Various attributes and behaviors are also attributed to beings.

In Europe, we often hear the name " mermaid". The ancient Greeks preferred the word " siren". The Romans believed that nymphs and Nereids actually exist. Also this creature was often called undine.

Sorcerers and magicians believe that the mermaid is a mystical creature, a bunch of energy, the spirit of water, to come to the rescue. But this is an incorporeal creature capable of controlling the elements of water.

Mermaids found by people in different parts of the world differ in appearance from the heroes of books and myths. Scientists suggest that there are several types. There is also an opinion that these monsters are not just different from each other, but are located at different stages of development.

This confirms the theory that man is a descendant of these sea creatures, because life originated in the ocean. Unfortunately, this version has not yet been proven, therefore it cannot be perceived as an axiom. But a large number of examples in history confirm that there are actually sirens.

Real mermaids exist - shocking facts

If we turn to the documents, we find that in the 12th century  in Icelandic chronicles Speculum regale  a strange creature is mentioned. It had the body of a woman and the tail of a fish. They called her " Margigre". More is not known about the fate of this lady.

In 1403  a situation occurred in Holland, which was described in the book by Sigot de la Funda “ Miracles of nature, or Collection of extraordinary and notes of worthy phenomena and adventures in the whole world of bodies, in the alphabetical order located". It tells us that after a terrible storm on land, people discovered a strange girl. She was thrown out of the water. Nereid was all in mud and had a fin instead of lower limbs.

People took her to the city, changed her clothes, taught her how to cook and do housework. How exactly this woman did, using the fin instead of legs, is not indicated in the source. For the 15 years that the creature has been among people, it has not learned to speak and constantly tried to return to its native element. But this was not successful, and the siren died among the inhabitants of the village.

June 15, 1608  two people who went on a trip with the explorer G. Hudson found a live siren in the water. They claimed that she was a charming girl with bare breasts, beautiful black braids, and her lower limb was exactly like the tail of a mackerel. No one else saw this creature from the team and cannot confirm the words of the sailors.

Evidence that mermaids exist is an amazing teenager.

In the 17th century  spanish journalist Iker Jimenez Elizari  made a note in the newspaper by publishing notes he found in the archives of the monastery. They talked about Francisco affairs Vega Casare,  living in Lierganes  (Cantabria).

This young man was very good at swimming. Legend has it that at 16, the young man went swimming and was drawn into the abyss. People did not find a teenager then.

After some time, an unusual creature was discovered near the place of his loss by the sailors. He was the same guy, but with snow-white skin and scales on the body.

On the limbs between the fingers were dense membranes. The young man did not speak, but only made strange noises. The creature possessed inhuman power, because in order to catch it, it took 10 people.

The captive was taken to the Franciscan temple. There, for three weeks, the young man was subjected to the rituals of exorcism. A year later, the teenager was returned home, his mother admitted that her son is not quite a man. Two years later, an unusual creature fled and hid in the depths of the sea.

Evidence of the existence of monsters in the XVIII – XIX centuries

In 1737  another evidence of the existence of mermaids was published. This time the information was provided by the publisher. Gentleman’s magazine. The story happened in England. The fishermen, along with the catch, lifted a strange creature onto the deck and, in fear, beat him to death.

Eyewitnesses claim that the monster made a human groan. When the fishermen came to their senses, they dismantled the catch and realized that in front of them was a male siren. The creature's appearance was repulsive, however, the monster was like humans. The corpse of the mermaid has long been shown to visitors to the museum in Exter.

Scot’s magazine in 1739  struck readers with interesting material, which stated that people from the ship " Halifax"Caught a real nereid. However, there is no evidence of this fact, since the team was forced to cook and eat the caught creature. It happened near the island of Mauritius. The crew assures that the flesh of these monsters is very soft, similar to veal.

October 31, 1881  it became significant that on this day one of the Boston publishers announced the news of the corpse of an amazing creature caught. It was possible to determine that the monster was female. The upper part of his body is identical to the human one, but everything below the abdomen was the tail of a fish. This was far from the last case when in the 19th century people found confirmation of the existence of mermaids.

Are there mermaids? History of the USSR

For a long time this story was not disclosed, and few people could find out the details of the incident. In 1982, combat swimmers were to be trained on the western shore of Lake Baikal. It was there that the armed forces of the USSR found an amazing monster.

Scuba divers had to go down to a depth of 50 meters. People assured that it was there that they repeatedly noticed strange creatures that reached 3 meters in length and were covered with shiny scales. On the head of the nymphs were strange round helmets. Scuba divers claimed that they were not people, as they moved very quickly, without special suits and scuba divers.

The training commander was convinced that submariners needed to find a common language with the creatures and make contact. To do this, it was necessary to catch one nereid. The team was well equipped and prepared for the task. The group consisted of 8 fighters who had to clearly follow the instructions.

But the operation was interrupted, because when people approached the creature and tried to throw a net on it, it pushed them to the shore of the reservoir by the power of thought. Due to the fact that this happened abruptly, and during the ascent there were no important stops, all involved in the operation fell ill with decompression sickness. Three died within a couple of days, and the rest remained disabled for life.

Strange monsters in the USA

In the United States, residents of small cities often encounter similar creatures. Summer 1992  in the village Key beach  (Florida) unusual creatures resembling humans were seen near the shore, but their lower body was like that of seals.

On the extremities of the monsters there were large membranes. Sirens had huge heads and bulging eyes. When the fishermen tried to approach the creatures, they quickly sailed away and hid in the depths of the sea. After some time, the fishermen got their nets out of the water. They were cut and the catch released.

Also, a strange exhibit was recently presented in the museum of local lore of the city Thomstone. Visitors examined the corpse of an outlandish object, which, at first glance, strongly resembled a sea cow. But the upper body of the animal was similar to the human - arms, shoulders, neck, ears, nose, eyes. Also quite well developed ribs were present.

Instead of legs. Their skin is snow-white. Mermaids have a melodic and mesmerizing timbre of voice. According to legend, they could be girls who died before marriage or because of a heart broken by love, as well as small unbaptized or for some reason cursed children. To the question of who the mermaids are, some myths give the answer that they are the daughters of Vodyany or Neptune and relate to

origin of name

Mermaids prefer not only salty sea water, but they feel comfortable in a fresh lake. The assumption of who the mermaids are and the origin of their name is based on the etymology of the word “channel” - meaning the favorite place of mermaids. They call these mythical creatures in different ways: nymphs, sirens, bathing, devilish, undine, pitchfork.

Legends about mermaids

In olden times, people believed that communicating with a mermaid was a rather dangerous thing. First, she attracts her with a beautiful melodious voice, and then she tickles to a swoon and carries to the abyss. There is an assumption that mermaids hate red-hot iron, therefore, pricking this river nymph with a needle, you can save your life.

The object of interest to mermaids has always been men. It was believed that they did not touch young children, and sometimes helped lost kids find their way home. At their whim they could drown or, conversely, save a person in need. Also, sea beauties love bright things that they can steal or ask for. Mermaids live longer than people, but they are still vulnerable, although the wounds on their body heal quickly enough.

Among the mermaid games, it is worth mentioning the entanglement of fishing nets, the disabling of boat heating. These harmful creatures were most active during the “Mermaid Week” in June, in the old days they called Trinity Week. Thursday is considered the most dangerous when swimming alone and in the evening is more expensive.

Is there evidence of the existence of mermaids?

The question of who the mermaids are and whether they really exist has been exciting the human imagination for quite some time. Although many deny the existence of such creatures as mermaids, unicorns, vampires, centaurs, there is still faith in miracles in the human mind. Moreover, the well-known proverb “There is no smoke without fire” makes one think about the possibility of the existence of such creatures. Indeed, in the folklore of various peoples of the world there is a huge number of stories about naked seductresses with a fish tail.

With the advent of Christianity, the idea came of the appearance of a soul at the mermaid, if she forever abandons the sea and lives on land. Such a choice was rather complicated, rarely anyone decided on it. There is one sad story about a Scottish mermaid from the VI century, who fell in love with a priest and prayed for a soul, but even the prayers of the monk himself did not convince the sea beauty to betray the sea. Gray-green stones on the shore of the island of Jonah are still called the mermaid's tears.

Beautiful and terrible

The main source of stories about mermaids were sailors. Even the skeptic Columbus believed in their reality. When he traveled in the Guiana area, without knowing who the mermaids were, he narrated that he saw with his own eyes three unusual, but somehow masculine creatures with tails, like fish having fun at sea. Or maybe it's just sexual fantasies, longing and dissatisfaction with the love and affection for months of sailors who traveled for months? Then the stories about the inaccessible and alluring sea seducers are quite explainable, and, looking at the seals, they imagined naked half-women luring them with magical singing.

Even Peter I was interested in the question of who the mermaids were and whether they existed at all. His appeal to the clergyman Francois Valentin from Denmark, who described one siren from Amboyna, was well-known near fifty people. He argued that if any stories were to be believed, then only about these wonderful creatures.

To believe or not to believe?

Like modern stories about aliens, rumors of mermaids quickly spread after the next There is no exact definition explaining unambiguously who the mermaids are. Photos that exist do not give a 100% guarantee of authenticity. Sea creatures of interest were not always described as charming nymphs, sometimes they were rather unpleasant and ugly creatures with large mouths and teeth sticking out like spikes.

In the Middle Ages, many European church buildings were decorated with carved undine figurines. Few, of course, can honestly admit their faith in their existence, but nevertheless stories about mermaids continue to excite the human imagination.

Mermaids in the myths of the Eastern Slavs

Eastern Slavic mythology can give an answer to the question of who mermaids are and how they appeared. Mermaids could become not only unbaptized babies, but also girls who committed suicide or were in a position. The birth process took place in the afterlife. In eastern mythology, the imaginary image of a mermaid was described in the form of a naked or white shirt, forever young and incredibly beautiful virgin with long hair the color of swamp mud and a wreath on her head. At the same time, you can find in the popular beliefs a terrible and ugly image of this mythical character. Who is a mermaid? In the mythology of the Eastern Slavs, she was presented as excessively skinny or, conversely, with a large physique, large breasts and disheveled hair. This demonic nymph was always pale, with cold long arms.

Mermaids lived in deep ponds and swamps, and certain sources indicate that they could also hide in the clouds, underground, and even in tombs. They stayed there for a year, and during the Trinity week, when the time came for rye blossoms, they went out to frolic and became visible to the people.

What threatens the acquaintance with the mermaid?

You can find out who the mermaid is and what she does in ancient epics, according to which they do not tolerate young women, as well as older people. But children and young men are attracted by charm and can be intimidating to death, or they can, after playing enough, let go home. One should be wary of their charming voice, which has hypnotic properties. A person can stand motionless for several years, listening to mermaid singing. A warning signal of such singing is a sound reminiscent of the chirp of a magpie.

Tempted by the unearthly beauty of the mermaid, you can forever remain her slave. The people believed that those who knew Undine’s love or tasted her kiss at least once would soon become seriously ill or lay hands on themselves. Only special amulets and certain behavior could save. When he saw the mermaid, he had to cross himself and draw an imaginary circle of protection. Also could be saved by two crosses on the neck, front and back, since mermaids tend to attack from the back. One could also try to brush aside the villain or hit with a stick in her shadow. According to ancient legend, mermaids hate the smell of nettle, wormwood and aspen.

Little Mermaid from a fairy tale

Starting a conversation on the topic of mermaids, it is impossible not to recall the tale of Hans Christian Andersen. The brave Little Mermaid saves the life of the prince during a terrible storm, and then exchanges with the evil sorceress, losing her magical voice and gaining the ability to walk. Each movement brings unbearable pain, but still without her voice she is not able to subdue the prince. As a result, she loses the battle and turns into sea foam.

A cartoon from Walt Disney about the little mermaid Ariel has a more optimistic ending: "they got married and lived happily ever after." These beloved fairy-tale stories have incorporated many elements from the narratives of these creatures. This is a captivating voice, and the opportunity to choose land or sea, as well as the forbidden romantic relationship between a man and a mermaid. The rest, of course, is fiction, but nevertheless, as a result, a positive image of the tailed beauty has developed.

Magic sirens are popular heroes in the folklore of various peoples and cultures, and interest in who these mermaids are is not fading away at present.

Mermaids myth or reality. Meeting occasions

The mermaid is usually portrayed as a girl with a fish tail, but she can have a pair of legs and a pair of tails, which, in turn, can be not only fish, but also dolphins or snakes. She sings wonderful songs, and sometimes also plays the harp. In addition to mermaids, there are also “mermaids”, sometimes the same romantic, and sometimes hot-tempered and angry. Mermaids love to bask in the sun on coastal sand or on rocks, combing their long hair with combs. They are found not only in the seas, but also in lakes, rivers and even wells. In Russia - in the whirlpool.

An unknown correspondent writes: “That year we rested on the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. Once, I, a 12-year-old boy, walked waist-deep in water, bypassing the shallows and indentations that smoothly alternated, and suddenly fell into an underwater pit. I ducked to see what kind of hole it was, and ... face to face I ran into a small green man!

He rested lying on the sandy bottom. His eyes were disproportionate to his face - large and very convex. He lifted his eyelids, our eyes met and both winced. The man waved his hand and accidentally scratched my stomach with his long nails. We both rushed in different directions. He is in depth, and I am up. Frightened to death, I rushed home and never again entered the sea that year. I haven’t met more than a green man. ”

This is not the first evidence of the observation of a humanoid creature in water.

1610 - the Englishman G. Hudson saw a mermaid off the coast. She had white skin and long black hair on her head. Sailors of past centuries met mermaids so often that scientists simply could not shrug off their stories.

Here is what the famous English explorer Henry Hudson wrote, at the beginning of the 17th century: “One of the crewmen, looking overboard, saw a mermaid. Her chest and back were like a woman's ... Very white skin and flowing black hair. When the mermaid dived, her tail flashed like a brown dolphin’s tail, speckled with specks like a mackerel. ”

At the beginning of the XVIII century, in one book, an image of a mermaid with the following signature was placed:

  “A siren-like monster caught on the coast of Borneo, in the administrative district of Amboyne. One and a half meters long, physique similar to an eel. The creature lived on land for four days and 7 hours in a barrel of water. At times it made sounds resembling a mouse squeak. The proposed mollusks, crabs and sea crayfish are gone ... "

For some reason, mermaids were more common in Scotland. In the XVII century, the Aberdeen Almanac claimed that travelers in these places “would certainly see a lovely flock of mermaids - amazingly beautiful creatures.”

1890 - teacher William Monroe (Scotland) saw a creature on the beach whose head “had hair, a forehead protruding, a puffy face, rosy cheeks, blue eyes, a natural mouth and lips similar to human ones. The chest and stomach, arms and fingers of the same size as an adult; the way this creature used its fingers (when combing) does not imply the presence of membranes. ”

1900 - a certain Alexander Gann met a mermaid who had wavy golden-red hair, green eyes, and growth of a man. After 50 years, two girls saw the mermaid in the same places. According to their description, she looked exactly like the mermaid that Gann had seen.

1957 - a creature resembling a mermaid even jumped onto the raft of the traveler Eric de Bishop. The arms of this strange creature were covered with scales.

In Russia, the inhabitants of a village near Vedlozero in Karelia for a long time noticed water creatures of one and a half meter growth with a round head, long hair, white arms and legs, but a brown torso. Seeing the fishermen, they dived under the water. These water animals are described in the book of S. Maximov, which was published in 1903.

The frequency of meetings with mermaids began to decline after the era of great geographical discoveries and already in our time has fallen to almost zero. Sea people became extinct, and probably this happened relatively recently - in the middle or end of the XIX century. The reason is increased fishing and water pollution. The chances that somewhere in the warm bays of the southern seas we still meet the last representatives of the mermaid tribe are no more than meeting with the Himalayas or the dinosaur in Congo.

Zhanna Zheleznova from Petrozavodsk talked about this case:

“In an ethnographic expedition, I found out about a man’s encounter with an unprecedented amphibian humanoid creature.

This happened during the Great Patriotic War in Belarus. The soldier lagged behind his platoon to catch up with him, walking along a forest road. And suddenly I saw a man lying on this road. He ran to him, and when he ran, he realized that this was not quite a person, and it was impossible to understand who or what. It looks like a man with a beard, but all in fish scales, and on the arms and legs instead of the fingers of the membrane. The soldier turned him on his back, saw that he had a human face, although you can’t call him beautiful, but you can’t even call him ugly.

And this scaly one began to show signs to the soldier at himself and somewhere to the side, probably asked him to take it there. The soldier went in that direction and soon saw a small forest lake. Dragged there a scaly creature, lowered it into the water. He lay a little in the water, came to his senses and swam away. And even at parting the soldier waved his hand. "

In the Icelandic chronicle of the XII century, a testimony of a half-female half-fish, which was seen off the coast of Greenland, is captured. She had a terrible face, a wide mouth and two chins. Rafael Holinshead reports that during the time of King Henry II of England (50-80s of the 12th century), fishermen caught a fish man who refused to speak and ate both raw and boiled fish. He escaped to the sea two months after the capture.

1403 - after a storm in West Friesland, a mermaid was found entangled in algae. She was dressed and fed with ordinary food. She learned to spin and bow before the crucifix, but she did not begin to speak. She often made unsuccessful attempts to escape back to sea and died after 14 years of life among people.

These and other similar testimonies have long maintained a belief in the existence of humanoid sea creatures. Most likely, tropical manatees, small whales, seals and seals were taken as mermaids. Nearby, these animals, of course, do not resemble people at all, but in the water their poses and screams are sometimes very “human” ...

1723, Denmark - a special Royal Commission was established, which was to bring complete clarity to the question of the existence of mermaids. During a trip to the Faroe Islands in order to collect information about mermaids, members of the commission met a male mermaid. The report indicated that the mermaid had "deep-set eyes and a black beard."

1983 - An American anthropologist at the University of Virginia, Ray Wagner, told one Richmond newspaper that in the South Pacific, near New Guinea, he twice saw a creature that looked somewhat like a human being. Wagner explained that using the latest underwater video equipment, he was able to establish that the creature he saw was a sea cow. In most known cases, he believes, the mermaids were nothing more than seals, brown dolphins, manatees or sea cows. But Wagner does not claim that mermaids do not exist at all.

We give a case of an incredible meeting. A message about it was received by one of the Moscow editions in response to the publication of an article on the reality of goblin and mermaid. It was a question of one variety - marshland.

During the war, Ivan Yurchenko lived in the village of Nikolaevka, in one of the northern regions of the European part of Russia, and studied in elementary school. The school sent students to weed in collective farm crops, far beyond the village. There immediately after the field swamps began. Near the swamps were hayfields. The Kossians set up a shed next to them for an overnight stay, laid hay on the bunks. One morning, when we came to the weeding, the guys went into the barn and noticed that there were dents in the hay from two huge figures that were seen spending the night in the barn. They were surprised at the growth of people, talked about this and got to work.

Ivan wanted to recover and he moved away from the field to the swamp. And in the swamp behind the bushes, he saw two unknowns who were closely watching him. Ivan drew attention to the fact that they were black, they had long hair on their heads, and they had very broad shoulders. Growth could not determine, because the bushes interfered. Ivan was very scared and, screaming, ran to his comrades.

Upon learning that someone was in the swamp, they fled to the village to the commandant (commandant offices existed for exiles at that time) and to the collective farm chairman. Armed with a gun and a gun, they went with the guys to the scene. Unknown black people went deep into the swamp and looked at people from behind bushes. None of the locals dared to move forward.

Men shot into the air, unknown people bared their white teeth (which was especially striking against the black background of their faces), began to make sounds similar to a booming laughter. After that, as it seemed to Yurchenko, they crouched or plunged into the swamp. No one else saw them. In the barn in the hay there were traces of, apparently, a male of enormous growth and a smaller female, and traces of large breasts could be considered.

So are our contemporaries aware of such creatures? Or is this the only incomprehensible case?

Here is another letter.

  “In 1952, I, M. Sergeeva, worked on the logging site of Balabanovsk in Western Siberia. They prepared wood in the winter, and in the spring they rafted along the Karayga River. The area is swampy all around, in the summer we gathered mushrooms and berries there. There are many lakes there. At 20 km from the site is located Lake Porasye. We went to him on the fourth of July: I, an old watchman with my nephew Alexei and Tanya Shumilova.

On the way, my grandfather said that the lake is peaty and shortly before the revolution it dried up, the bottom caught fire from lightning and burned for 7 years. After the water returned, and now there are many floating islands on the lake. They are called kymya. While the weather is fine, kymya is near the shore, but if you go to the middle of the lake - wait for the rains.

We were already there at eleven o'clock in the evening. Hastily pulled two canopies and immediately the three fell off from fatigue. And the grandfather went to put the network.

When we woke up in the morning, the ear was ready. A lot of fish were caught in the net, they loaded the whole cart. And then I saw that not far behind the trees one more lake could be seen. The old man asked about him, but he growled angry at me: “A lake is like a lake ...” I didn’t ask him anything else, but she told Alexey and Tatyana everything. Having chosen the moment when my grandfather went to inspect the distant network, we ran to that lake, since it was only 200 meters before him. The water in it turned out to be so clear that all the pebbles at the bottom were visible. Tanya and Alexei wanted to swim, I just took off my scarf and put it on some driftwood near the shore, and I sat down next to it.

Alex already went into the water and called Tanya, when she suddenly cried out, grabbed her clothes and rushed into the forest. I looked at Alexei, who stood motionless and looked in front of me with wide eyes. And then I saw how a hand stretched at his feet. Under water, a girl swam to Alexei. She emerged silently, raised her head with long black hair, which she immediately removed from her face.

Her big blue eyes looked at me, the girl with a smile held out her hands to Alexei. I screamed, jumped up, and dragged him by the hair from the water. I saw how in this case the evil sparkled the eyes of the mermaid. She grabbed my handkerchief, which was lying on a snag, and burst out laughing and went under the water.

We didn’t even have time to come to our senses, as the grandfather found himself close by. He hastily crossed Alexei, spat on the side, and only after that he sighed in relief. I did not suspect that our guardian man is a believer ...

In the same year, in December, I was transferred to another site, and gradually that incident began to be forgotten. But after 9 years, I suddenly received a letter from an old man in which he wrote that he was seriously ill and was unlikely to rise. I took leave for three days and went to him. We talked all night, then the old man told me a story.

About 40 years ago, as a young guy, he worked as a foreman. Once I went into the forest for poles. Then for the first time I ended up on that very lake. He wanted to swim ... and the mermaid took possession of him. I didn’t let go for three days, I already said goodbye to my life. But, fortunately, he remembered the blessing of his mother ... And he said aloud these words. The mermaid pushed him with hatred and incredible power ...
Only then did I understand why the old man so did not want to let us into that lake. ”