Written by Mermaid Seraphine
Hi friends!
Today, I’d like to share with you an amazing legend that we’ve found, researching different myths related to the sea. This legend was written by an anonymous author, and makes part of the story collection titled “Folk-Lore and Legends,” published back in 1889. If you’re interested in the whole book, it’s available for free on Gutenberg Project’s website as it belongs to the public domain.
The text below was slightly edited by me, to facilitate reading for modern readers. Remember though, that it was written in 19th century, when relationship customs were different, and women married mostly for financial safety, not out of love. Below, you’ll find my detailed commentary to this legend, make sure to read it!
“The Mermaid Wife”
A story is told of an inhabitant of Unst, who, in walking on the sandy margin of a sea, saw several mermen and mermaids dancing by moonlight, and several seal-skins strewed beside them on the ground.
At his approach, they immediately fled to secure their garbs and, taking upon themselves the form of seals, plunged immediately into the sea. However, as the Shetlander perceived that one skin lay close to his feet, he snatched it up, bore it swiftly away, and placed it in concealment.
On returning to the shore, he met the fairest damsel that was ever gazed upon by mortal eyes, lamenting the robbery, by which she had become an exile from her submarine friends and a tenant of the upper world.
Vainly she implored the restitution of her property; the man was deeply in love with her, and thus inexorable, but he offered her protection beneath his roof as his betrothed spouse.
The merlady, perceiving that she must become an inhabitant of the earth, found that she could not do better than accept the offer.
This strange attachment subsisted for many years, and the couple had several children. The Shetlander’s love for his merwife was unbounded, but his affection was coldly returned. The lady would often steal alone to the desert strand, and, on a signal being given, a large seal would make his appearance, with whom she would hold, in an unknown tongue, an anxious conference.
Years had thus glided away when it happened that one of the children, in the course of his play, found concealed beneath a stack of corn a seal’s skin, and, delighted with the prize, he ran with it to his mother. Her eyes glistened with rapture—she gazed upon it as her own—as the means by which she could pass through the ocean that led to her native home. She burst forth into joy, which was only moderated when she beheld her children, whom she was now about to leave, and, after hastily embracing them, she fled with all speed towards the sea-side.
The husband immediately returned, learned the discovery that had taken place, ran to overtake his wife, but only arrived in time to see her transformation of shape completed—to see her, in the form of a seal, bound from the ledge of a rock into the sea.
The large animal of the same kind with whom she had held a secret converse soon appeared and evidently congratulated her, most tenderly, on her escape. However, before she dived to unknown depths, she cast a parting glance at the wretched Shetlander, whose despairing looks left in her heart a few transient feelings of commiseration.
“Farewell!” said she to him, “and may all good attend you. I loved you very well when I resided upon earth, but I always loved my first husband much better.”
This legend, although very simple and short, contains an interesting message about a relationship, in which one partner is very committed, while the other isn’t.
The man represents the “chaser” and the mermaid the “runner:” He imprisons her on land, asking for her hand and she says yes – but only out of material pursuits.
Even though it is implied that the beginnings of their relationship were tough, it looks like she managed to develop positive feelings for him, as she said that she loved him and they had children.
However, her love for him was weak, which can be seen in the fact that she took advantage of the first available opportunity to escape and reunite with her first husband and family.
The moral of the story is: don’t persuade anyone into a relationship that they don’t want to be in, because, they will leave anyways.
Even the author, who lived in late 19th century – the era of arranged marriages meant to ensure financial prosperity – condemns their union, calling it a “strange attachment.” It feels that the author, despite living over 200 years ago, believed in mutual love being the true foundation of a healthy relationship, and that they wrote this legend, to criticize relationships where powerful men married women who didn’t love them, but financially, didn’t have any other choice.
It also looks like the author condemns romantic affairs, stating that the person cheating will return to their first lover anyways, breaking the heart of their new partner.
Interestingly, I do see some similarities between these legends, and some subplots in the “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony.”
Amelia and Jet Mir
Jet Mir imprisons Amelia and forces her to sign a contract stating she agrees to help him find lost artifacts. Amelia is not only reluctant to do it, but also lacks necessary skills. In the end, she eventually fails, and Jet Mir has to deal with his defeat.
Amelia’s mother and her two lovers
Amelia’s mother, Queen Marzia, had two lovers: her husband Prince Andreas, and her court photographer, Mr. Vega. Even though she did have an affair with the latter, eventually, she returned to her husband. However, it’s important to note that their affair wasn’t related to material pursuits and was all about forbidden love.
You can learn more about “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony” in here.
Related articles:
- Amelia Quintana- the main character of “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony”
- Jet Mir Thakur – a secondary character in “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony”
- The winners and losers of “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony”
- Mermaids described in Welsh, Scandinavian and Spanish legends
- “The Fisherman And The Merman” – a short fable about cooperation between humans and mermaids
Grab your copy of “Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony” here…
English: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08T6BJ6RG
Spanish: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Z8GK1JX
Italian: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0953PN3Y7
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