9 Mermaid Myths From Around The World

The earliest known mermaid myth is 3,000 years old and originated in Assyria. The story goes that the goddess Atargatis accidentally killed her human lover. She was so distraught that she flung herself into a lake to live as a fish as punishment. However, she was too beautiful, so her top half couldn't be hidden. She then ended up with the tail of a fish and the upper body of a human woman.

This type of creature has become the popular image of a mermaid. A beautiful woman with a fishtail is found in a multitude of stories: both in folklore and in modern movies, shows, and books. Sometimes this also includes mermen. These men have the upper body of a male human with the tail of a fish. They are often pictured as highly attractive and physically fit.

This half-human and half-fish creature is what many think of at the mention of a "mermaid". However, there have been many mermaid myths created around the world. They always contain at least some human body parts and live predominantly in water. Yet their physical features, magical powers, and level of danger varies.

A rusalka is a Slavic mythical creature that looks like a beautiful young woman who lives in water. They are usually small and pale with long hair that is blonde, light brown, or green. Their eyes don't have pupils and if they're evil, the eyes are bright green. Unlike common mermaids, they have legs instead of fishtails.

Originally they were associated with fertility as they would come to land to dance in the moonlight during the spring, which would water the crops and forests. In modern times they are often considered malicious, concentrating on harming people and seducing or kidnapping men. If a human sees them dancing, they will be forced to dance with them until they die.

There are many different stories detailing how someone becomes a rusalka. The most common is that of the spirit of a girl who died a violent death usually through murder or suicide. Others say it is any woman who died a virgin or any baby who died without being baptized. Further stories say that it is anyone who drowned themselves. Some say that they live a limited amount of time, while in other stories they don't die until their death is avenged.