A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Abode of mermaids, 71–73
African mermaids and myths, 45, 137–47
Amphitrite, 16. See also Triton
Ancient cultures, 77. See also specific cultures
Apsu, 79
The Arabian Nights, 82–83
Art, mermaids in, 32–36
Asian mermaids and myths, 45, 153–67. See also Indian mermaids
Asrai, 107
Assyria, 78–79
Atargatis, 15, 19, 28, 78–79, 85
Attracting mermaids, 39
Australia, 181–83. See also Yawkyawks
Aztec myths, 45
Babylonian water divinities, 79–80. See also Ea (Oannes)
Bannerman, Anne, 152
Barnum, Phineas T., 159–60
Benton (Benzaiten), 154–58
Birthplace of mermaids, 78–79
Blue Men of Muir, 103–4
Brahma, 150
British Isles and Ireland, 93–109
Caduceus-like image, 166
Cambodia, 166
Captured mermaids, 108–9
Caribbean mermaid, 194–96
Celtic lore, 42, 71, 105, 106, 108
Ceto, 87
Characteristics of mermaids. See also Look (appearance) of mermaids; specific features
about: overview of, 55
bearers of good fortune, 64–65
deadly seductresses, 60–62. See also Song of mermaids/sirens
dual nature, 7
half-fish, half-human, all divine, 15–16
tempest, storms and, 62–63
Chitapo, 146
Christianity, 14, 43, 44, 63, 81, 90–91, 125, 208
Circus mermaid, 159–60
C. Joybell C., 126
Classification of mermaids, 52
Columbus, Christopher, 21, 124
Combs and mirrors, 67–68, 69, 99, 101, 116, 133, 139, 143, 147, 193, 195, 196, 207–8
Conch shells, 16, 59, 188, 196
Copenhagen, Little Mermaid of, 113–14. See also “The Little Mermaid” (Andersen)
Cornish legends, 58–59, 99–101, 102, 208
Countenance of mermaids, 49–50
Creators and destroyers, 209–10
Cury, Lutey, 102
Dagon, 15
Danto, 195
Deities. See also Far East; specific continent names; specific deities
African water, 64
The Arabian Nights and, 82–83
Babylonian, 79–80. See also Ea (Oannes)
belief in, 13
Celtic goddesses, 42, 105, 106
fertility, 131
Greek water, 86–88
half-fish, half-human, all divine, 15–16
Irish, 100
nymphs, 17–18, 19, 20, 81, 85–86, 107, 113, 130–31
reptilian water, 44–46
Slavic water spirits, 133–34
Sumerian water, 81–82
water fairies, 106–7
Destroyers, creators and, 209–10
Disney attractions, 199, 200–201. See also The Little Mermaid (film)
Dissecting mermaids, 50
Dragons, 154, 158, 161, 163–64, 171
Dragons, descendants of, 164
Drowned souls, 14, 96, 99, 118, 129, 131, 150, 188
Ea (Oannes), 15, 28, 79–80, 86, 210
England. See British Isles and Ireland
Enki, 81
Environment of mermaids, 71–73
European mermaids, 111–25
Fantasy games, 74
Feejee (Fiji) Mermaid, 159–60
Fighting fish, 176
Figureheads, 65
Finfolk(aheem), 38–39, 73, 104
The Forsaken Merman (Arnold), 39
Fortune, Dion, 136
Freda, 195
French mermaid (Melusina), 123
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (film), 121
Germany. See Nixes
Giants, Monsters, and Dragons (Rose), 46
Gocta Cataracts, 193–94
Goddesses for Every Season (Blair), 148
Goddess Gift (Turnbull), 141
The Goddess Oracle Deck (Took), 143
Good fortune, bearers of, 64–65
Greek lore, 17–19, 29, 31, 46–47, 58–59, 69, 78–79, 85–91. See also Triton
Gwagged Annwn, 106–7
Hair of mermaids, 49, 50, 65–66, 67, 68–69, 108, 116, 133, 195, 205. See also Combs and mirrors
Havfrue, 116. See also “The Little Mermaid” (Andersen)
Hawaii, 170–72, 175, 177–78, 179
Hidden meanings, 202–14
Hoori, 160–61
Hoori and Hoderi, 160–61
Huanglong, 164
Iele, the, 135
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Arthurian Legends (Coghlan), 106
Image of mermaids, changing, 212–14
Indian mermaids, 137, 148–51, 160
Indulgence, sin of, 68. See also Vanity
Ireland and British Isles, 93–109
Irish Folk Stories and Fairy Tales (Yeats), 92
The Iron King (Kagawa), 168
Israel, 22
Jung, Carl G., 22–23
Kanaloa, 179
Kappa, 161–62
Kataw, 180
Korea, 167
Ladies of the lakes, 105
Las Vegas (NV), 198–99
Li, 164
“The Little Mermaid” (Andersen), 6–7, 19, 40, 60, 110, 112–14, 128
The Little Mermaid (film), 6–7, 23, 40, 112, 200
Local Hero (film), 80
Look (appearance) of mermaids. See also Shapeshifters; Snakes/serpents
about: overview of, 27
ancient tales, 28–29
in art, 32–36
biological classification and, 52
countenance, 49–50
dissection description, 50
tailless water maidens, 31
twin tails, 41–42, 43, 190–91, 206–7
Lorelei, 120–21
“The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock” (Eliot), 54
“Lusty Ladies: Mermaids in the Medieval Irish Church” (Radford), 68
Magickal Mermaids and Water Creatures (Conway), 6, 198
Mamba Muntu, 147
Manatees and dugongs, 20, 21, 124
“A Man Young and Old” (Yeats), 61
Mapping mermaids, 58
Marketing and merchandising, 24, 25, 42, 160, 185–86
Marriages, 18–20, 97, 112–13, 117, 118, 123, 133–34, 161, 169
Mascots, 89
Maui (island), 171
Maushop, 187–88
Meanings of mermaids. See also Symbolism
Melusina, 123
“The Mermaid” (Fenkl), 42
The Mermaid (Tennyson), 10
The Mermaid Chair and the Secret Life of Bees (Kidd), 57
Mermaid Convention (Las Vegas), 198–99
“The Mermaid Myth” (Cheek), 23
“Mermaids” (BBC), 202
Mermaids (Phillpotts), 60, 124
The Mermaid Shawl & Other Beauties (Valentine), 200
“Mermaids in Myth and Art” (Anderson), 20, 90
Mermaid Tavern, 95
Mermen. See also Ea (Oannes); Triton
about, 46–47
Blue Men of the Muir, 103–4
captured, 108
greedy, 104
Hoori, 160–61
kataw and, 180
miniature, 118
poem about, 39
powers of, 16
sightings, 22
siyokoy, 180
Swedish water lilies and, 117
Tangaroa and, 178–79
Tuna, 174
twin tailed, 190–200
Metamorphoses (Ovid), 13–14, 91
Military merfolk, 62
Miniature mermen, 118
Mirrors. See Combs and mirrors
Moana-Nui-Ka-Lehua, 177
Mo’o goddesses, 170–72
Muses, 107
Nagas and Naginis, 45, 148–50, 166
Naiads, 17
The Narrow Land (Reynard), 187
Neptune. See Poseidon (Neptune)
Nin, Anaïs, 52
Ningyo fish, 158–59
Noah’s Ark, 14
North/South American mermaids, 185–201
Nymphs, 17–18, 19, 20, 81, 85–86, 107, 113, 130–31
The Old Mermaid’s Tale (Valentine), 26
Ondines (undines), 19–20, 31, 32, 113, 128
Origins of mermaids, 11–25
common origins, 119
first stories, 15–16
“mermaid” word origins, 13–14, 20, 124
Noah’s Ark and, 14
nymphs, sprites and, 17–18
symbolism of water and, 12–13
Oshun, 143–45
Panlong, 164
Passamaquoddy mermaids, 186–87
Pearl diving “mermaids,” 167
Peru, 193–94
Peter Pan (Barrie), 199
Physiologus, 64–65
Pirates, 109
Pisces, 79
Poems by Anne Bannerman (Bannerman), 152
Polynesia, 17
Poseidon (Neptune), 16, 47, 89. See also Triton
Potter, Harry, 103
Rainbow Serpents, 182–83
Reptilian water deities, 44–46. See also Snakes/serpents
Roberts, Emma, 51
Rusalka (film), 130
Russia, 127, 128–29, 130, 132, 134
Salmon boy, 188–90
Scandinavian merfolk, 116–18. See also Copenhagen
Scotland, 29, 48, 53, 94, 103–4, 107, 108
Sea cows, 21
Sea Fables Explained (Lee), 145
“The Sea-Fairies” (Tennyson), 64
A Sea Spell (Rossetti), 98
The Secret of Roan Inish (film), 37, 95
The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Hall), 19, 32, 34, 85, 204
Sedna, 191–93
Seduction and The Secret Power of Women: The Lure of Sirens and Mermaids (Lao), 56
Seductive attributes, 68–69. See also Sensuality and sexuality
Sensuality and sexuality, 33, 34, 42, 56, 63, 68, 142, 186, 205–6, 212–14
“Shadows of the Goddess—The Mermaid” (deMason), 196
Shapeshifters, 36–38, 52, 73–74, 128, 133–34, 139, 145–46, 149, 170, 177, 182–83, 190, 212. See also Selkies
Shawl for mermaids, 200
Sightings. See Siren(s), sightings
Siren(s)
death metaphor, 60
Melusina, 123
“mermaid” word origin and, 20, 124
sensual, 205–6
sightings, 22, 29, 44, 48, 53, 66, 72, 91, 117, 132, 134, 151, 171, 178, 198
slang, 36
song/myth of, 24, 56–59, 60, 87, 90–91
spiritual, 43
Siyokoy, 180
Slavic water spirits, 133–34. See also Rusalky
Smith, John, 66
Snakes/serpents, 18, 44–46, 81, 86–87, 91, 133–34, 138–39, 145–46, 147, 148–49, 165–66, 168, 170–71, 182–83, 212
Song of mermaids/sirens, 24, 56–59, 60, 90–91
South Seas mermaids, 169–80
Splash (film), 38
Sprites, 17
Squant, 187–88
Stamps, mermaids on, 83
Sumerian water deities, 81–82
Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids (Datz), 15
Swedish water lilies, 117
Tailless water maidens, 31
Tails
hidden meaning of, 206–7
on market today, 25
Talking to mermaids, 40
Tiamat, 79
Toyotama, 160–61
Trewella, Mathew, 100–101
Triton, 16, 29, 47, 59, 71, 88–89, 112, 124
Tuna, 174–75
Twin-tailed merfolk, 43, 190–91, 206–7
Ukrainian rusalky, 130–31
Undine (Fouqué), 113, 128. See also Ondines
United states mermaids, 185–93, 197–201
Vanity, 43, 63, 68, 207–9. See also Combs and mirrors
Vodou. See Lasiren
Wang Fu, 163
Warsaw Mermaid, 121–22
Water
fairies, 106–7
hidden meaning of mermaids and, 204–5
symbolism of, 12–13
Wise and winsome creatures, 101–2, 210–12
Yawkyawks, 15–16, 38, 66, 181–82
Yemaya, 141–42
Youth, eternal, 158–59
Zennor, Mermaid of, 100–101