• Question: when did mermaids first egsist and did they ever egsist? ty ;] xx

    Asked by hillierl to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Alastair Sloan

      Alastair Sloan answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Mermaids are mythical creatures and have never really existed. BUT – they have existed in stories, legends and folklore for over 3000 years. They actually can be found in stories and myths from many different countries. In legends they are bringers of bad luck for anyone sailing on the sea and stories have them distracting sailors and leading them astray causing them to fall off their ships or run their ships aground. Other stories have mermaids drowning sailors when trying to rescue them or capturing sailors and taking them to their underwater kingdoms.

    • Photo: Keith Brain

      Keith Brain answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      The mermaids of legend never really existed. However, there are some very rare mutations in humans which can cause the lower limbs to fuse together and be malformed, which might have led to some of the mermaid legends. Also, dugongs “sea cows” might have been confused for mermaids … by very drunk sailors!

    • Photo: Vicki Stevenson

      Vicki Stevenson answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      There’s no evidence that mermaids have ever existed.
      I’ve heard a story that sailors mistook manatees for mermaids. I’ve swum with manatees, and they’re amazing creatures, but I think you’d have to be at sea for more than a couple of years to mistake one for a beautiful mermaid!

    • Photo: Emma Carter

      Emma Carter answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      I think it’s safe to say they are a myth – probably invented by some ancient greek novelist

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