Mermaids

A mermaid is the term for feminine whilst the masculine is merman. These are
fabled marine creature with the head and upper body of a human being and the tail
of a fish. In European folklore, mermaids (sometimes called sirens) and mermen
were natural beings who, like fairies, had magical and prophetic powers. They
loved music and often sang. Though very long-lived, they were mortal and had no
souls. Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods,
storms, shipwrecks, and drownings. In other folk
traditions (or sometimes within the same traditions),
they can be benevolent or beneficent, bestowing
boons or falling in love with humans.

Many folktales record marriages between mermaids

(who might assume human form) and men. In most,
the man steals the mermaid’s cap or belt, her comb
or mirror. While the objects are hidden she lives with him; if she finds them she
returns at once to the sea. In some variants the marriage lasts while certain
agreed-upon conditions are fulfilled, and it ends when the conditions are broken.

Though sometimes kindly, mermaids and mermen were usually dangerous to man.
Their gifts brought misfortune, and, if offended, the beings caused floods or other
disasters. To see one on a voyage was an omen of shipwreck. They sometimes
lured mortals to death by drowning, as did the Lorelei of the Rhine, or enticed
young people to live with them underwater, as did the mermaid whose image is
carved on a bench in the church of Zennor, Cornwall, England.

People have been fascinated with mermaids for a long period of time. That is the
reason why mermaids have made its way into literature and modern movies.

Popular mermaid movies

The Little Mermaid is a 1989

American animated musical fantasy film produced .It is
based on the 1837 Danish fairy tale of the same
name by Hans Christian Andersen. The film tells the
story of a teenage mermaid princess named Ariel, who dreams of becoming human
and falls in love with a human prince named Eric, which leads her to make a magic
deal with the sea witch, Ursula, to become human and be with him.

It shows how sixteen year old mermaid princess Ariel is

dissatisfied with underwater life in the kingdom of
Atlantica, a fantasy kingdom in the Atlantic Ocean. She
is fascinated by the human world. With her best
friend Flounder, Ariel collects human artifacts in
her grotto. She ignores the warnings of her father King
Triton, the ruler of Atlantica, that contact between
merpeople and humans is forbidden. One night, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian, a
crab who serves as Triton's adviser and court composer, travel to the ocean surface
to watch a birthday celebration for Prince Eric. Ariel falls in love with Eric after
watching him for a while. Suddenly a violent storm arrives, wrecking the ship, and
knocking Eric overboard. Ariel rescues Eric and brings him to shore. She visits the
sea witch Ursula in order to turn her into a human for three days in order to win the
love of Prince Eric. This will be followed by a series of events as Ursula wants to
prevent Ariel and Eric’s happiness.

Splash is a 1984 American fantasy romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and
Daryl Hannah as the main protagonists. It involves a young man who falls in love
with a mysterious woman who is secretly a mermaid.
It shows how in 1964, eight-year-old Allen Bauer
(Hanks) and his family are taking a boat tour at Cape
Cod. Allen is fascinated by something below the
surface and jumps overboard. In the ocean, he
encounters a young girl and inexplicably finds
himself able to breathe underwater. However, Allen is
rescued and pulled back to the surface, and the two
are separated. Since no one else saw the girl, Allen
comes to believe the encounter was a near-death hallucination.
In 1984, Allen is now co-owner of a wholesale fruit and vegetable business in New
York City with his older brother Freddie. Through the years, Allen’s relationships
have failed as he subconsciously seeks the connection he felt with the mysterious
girl. Depressed after his latest breakup, Allen returns to Cape Cod, and goes for a
boat trip. Allen falls into the sea and is knocked unconscious; his wallet drops onto
the coral below. He wakes up on a beach, in the presence of a beautiful woman
who is unable to talk. After kissing him, she dives into the sea, where she
transforms into a mermaid.
The mermaid finds Allen's wallet, and uses a sunken ship’s
charts to locate New York. She comes ashore at the Statue of
Liberty and is arrested for indecent exposure for she is not
wearing any clothes. Using information from Allen’s wallet,
the police contact him and the mysterious girl is released into
his care. She learns how to speak English from watching
television, and is eager to explore the city. Unable to say her
real name in human language, she selects "Madison" from a Madison Avenue sign.
She tells Allen that she will be in New York for "six fun-filled days until the moon
is full"; unable to return home if she stays any longer. Despite Madison's
occasionally outlandish behavior, she and Allen fall in love. They face different
trials as people wants to expose Madison for being a mermaid.

Mako Mermaid is an Australian series for children

and teenagers. It shows how Zac is a teenage boy
who decides to camp on Mako Island, unaware that
three mermaids, Sirena, Nixie, and Lyla, guardians
of the island, are watching him. That night, when the
full moon rises, the boy comes into contact with the
magic water of the Moon Pool. The following
morning, Zac discovers that he has the ability to
control and manipulate water. Later, after
accidentally falling into the water, he finds that he has
also become a merman with a fish-like tail. His
new-found merman abilities threaten to expose the
existence of merpeople. After their pod casts them out
for allowing Zac to visit the island, the three mermaids,
curious about living on land and motivated to remove
Zac's s powers, venture onto the land and learn to live
among humans.
In series 2, the mermaids continue to discover Mako's secrets and learn more about
the merman chamber. While Nixie and Lyla go in search of a new home, Sirena is
left with Ondina and Mimmi, Mako mermaids who continue the effort to remove
Zac's powers and reclaim the island for their pod. Evie, Zac's girlfriend, faces her
own battles when she becomes a mermaid herself, and the others try to help her
cope with the change.

Write True or false for the following statement.

1.In European folklore mermaids are also called sirens ………………………

2. Mermaids were associated with having magical powers

………………………….

3. People are not interested in mermaid stories ………………………..

4. It is claimed that mermaid’s gifts brought bad luck

………………………………

5. Mako mermaid is an American series ………………………………..

6. The Little Mermaid is based on a Danish fairytale …………………………..

Answer the following questions.

1. What is the female equivalent for mermaid?

……………………………………………………………………………….

2. What are mermaids?

………………………………………………………………………………..

3. What are mermaids associated with?

……………………………………………………………………………..

4. It is stated in the first paragraphs that ‘mermaids can be benevolent or

beneficent’. Using words of your own explain this statement

………………………………………………………………………………...

5. It is stated in the first paragraphs that mermaids can be associated with

‘bestowing boons’. According to you what does this mean?

………………………………………………………………………………..
 6. What has been brought forth in regards to mermaids and human marriage?

……………………………………………………………………………….

7. What did it mean to see a mermaid on a voyage?

……………………………………………………………………………

8. What does the carved mermaid image in England represent?

……………………………………………………………………………

9. When was The Little Mermaid released?

…………………………………………………………………………….

10.What genre is The Little Mermaid?

………………………………………………………………………………

11.What does the The Little Mermaid show?

……………………………………………………………………………….

12.‘Ariel collects human artifacts in her grotto’.Using a phrase of your own

explain this statement.

……………………………………………………………………………….

13.What was King Triton’s warnings?

………………………………………………………………………………..

14.How does Ariel meet Prince Eric?

………………………………………………………………………………..

15.Why does Ariel visit the sea witch?

………………………………………………………………………………………

16.When was the Splash movie released?

……………………………………………………………………………………..

17.Who are the main actors in the Splash movie?

……………………………………………………………………………………

18.What is the plot of the Splash movie?

……………………………………………………………………………………

19.What happens to the eight year old Allen?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

20. It is stated that Allen ‘inexplicably finds himself able to breathe

underwater’. Using your own words explain this statement.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

21.Why did Allen believe the encounter was a near death hallucination?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

22.Why have Allen’s relationships failed?

………………………………………………………………………………………

23.What happens when Allen goes back to Cape Cod?

……………………………………………………………………………………..

24.Why is the mermaid arrested for indecent exposure?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

25.Why is the mysterious girl released into Allan’s care?

……………………………………………………………………………………..

26.Why does the mermaid select the name Madison?

……………………………………………………………………………………..
 27.‘Despite Madison's occasionally outlandish behavior’. Using a statement
of your own explain this phrase.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

28.What does the Mako mermaid portray?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

29.What does Zac discover the next morning?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

30.What happens in series 2 of Mako mermaid?

………………………………………………………………………………………