The Fisherman & The Mermaid

 

STORYTIME: THE FISHERMAN & THE MERMAID

Kristin Lisenby  Storytime

Gather round for a story about a would-be fisherman, his mermaid bride, and the enchanted fish hook that brought them together...

Once upon a time, there were two princes. Of the two men, Hoori was the great hunter, and Hoderi, the famous fisherman. Rain or shine, Hoderi always returned home with fish, and Hoori, the greatest marksman to walk the earth, ensured that no villager went hungry. But, despite Hoori’s prowess amongst huntsmen, he longed to be like his brother. He too desired to snag something extravagant from the sea, so Hoori asked Hoderi to borrow his boat and lucky fishing hook. But after an entire day spent casting and praying for a bite, Hoori went home empty-handed. Even worse, he’d lost his brother’s lucky hook.

Hoderi was angry with his brother. He threatened to take Hoori’s horse and bow if he didn’t find and return his hook. Knowing that he could not hunt without his lucky charms, Hoori dove to the bottom of the sea. He swam and searched but found no hook, just a curious mermaid named Toyotama. Her name meant ‘beautiful jewel,’ and she was the sea god’s daughter. Although Hoori had not found what he’d been hunting for, he’d discovered something mightier than steel or bow – he found love. Hoori and Toyotama made a home beneath the waves, and for a few years, he thought of nothing but his desire for the sea god’s daughter.

But after three years of living in underwater bliss, Hoori began to miss his royal life on land. Sensing the young man’s discontent, the sea god went to Hoori and bid him farewell. As a parting gift, he retrieved the missing hook from his pocket and handed it to the prince.

Once Hoori returned the hook to his brother, the prince decided to build a new home for Toyotama. The mermaid was pregnant with their son and had requested a cozy, secluded room to usher in new life. Unlike other princesses, Toyotama did not concern herself with trivial demands like silk bedsheets or dressing gowns embroidered with gold thread. She only asked that Hoori make himself scarce during their son’s birth.

Women often labored alongside other women, so Hoori was not surprised by her request for privacy. However, on the day their son was born, he could not resist the temptation to peek into her bedchambers. When Hoori spied on Toyotama, he discovered that she was not a mermaid, nor was she a human – she was a dragon.

Devastated by her husband’s betrayal, Toyotama knew the cure for a broken heart could only be found in the sea. She left their newborn in Hoori’s care and returned to her underwater lair. Legend says that the child grew up to be a fine hunter, fisherman, and eventually, father to Japan’s first emperor, Jimmu Tenno.

(Reference: Tamed Wild site: https://tamedwild.com/)

Atargatis: The First Mermaid

 

THE FIRST MERMAID IS ALSO CALLED GODDESS OF THE SEA:

In Ancient Roman times, Atargatis was was beautiful and powerful priestess who fell in love with a human shepherd boy. He, being simply mortal, did not survive her divine love-making. She became pregnant with his baby and soon became distraught and remorseful. After the birth of a baby girl, Semiranus on the shore, she threw herself into the ocean to drown. Her beauty was so great that the gods did not let her die, but changed her into a mermaid. Not only did she become a mermaid, but a goddess of the seas. Half woman and half fish. Atargatis was depicted as having long, flowing hair like the water. She is THE FIRST mermaid.

GREAT MOTHER AND GODDESS OF FERTILITY AND WATER:

History - during the Roman Era, she was worshiped at the shrine in Hierapolis and had multiple temples dedicated to her. At her temples were ponds containing her sacred fish that only her priests were allowed to touch. Supposedly the fish knew their own names and would come when called. They even wore jewels and would snuggle up to people like a pet. In her day, worshipers would immerse themselves in her sacred waters to offer praise. 

(Reference: https://everythingmermaid.com/first-mermaid/)

The Anatomy of a Mermaid

Anatomy Of A Mermaid

(“Mermaid Anatomy" - A scientific outlook)

Contrary to popular belief, mermaids are not human or fish at all. They are mammals with the appearance of a human being above the pelvis and the appearance of dolphins or whales below. All mammals are warm-blooded and have hair, and all female mammals have mammary glands (breast and nipples for feeding young). Fish have a completely different anatomy. Mermaids do appear to have scales, but it is possible that this is in fact a pattern or camouflage that resemble scales. Some species of mermaid also have twin-tails and there are even some that are completely humanoid in appearance, apart from scale-like skin and dolphin-like biology (sonar, respiratory, circulatory and skeletal systems). The mermaid is also known to have both a Caucasian or negro complexion and some sightly have a greenish appearance.

Biological functions

Mermaids have organs in their chest that can operate as a lung or a gill, depending on whether they are in or out of the water. The organ expands and contracts exactly like a lung, yet has the ability to extract oxygen from the water. This allows the mermaid to ‘breathe’ water in the same way that they breathe air - by filling and evacuating the chest cavity. This organ is also needed to operate the larynx. The human larynx cannot operate under the water as it cannot be made to vibrate from water pressure, yet the mermaids larynx operates equally well using water or air. The mermaid circulatory system is also designed to withstand differing water pressures like that of the dolphin and whale, while the skeleton is light and pliable like those of a bird or dolphin. The lenses of mermaid eyes are also different and are able to correctly focus for use both above and under water. A mermaid is also able to hear on a different level to humans and has the ability to use sonar for communication and hunting purposes underwater.

Reproduction

In mermaids, reproduction is much like that of dolphins. The reproductive organs of both the male and female are akin to the dolphin and whale, and mermaid babies are born live (as opposed to hatched from eggs).

Females have human internal reproduction organs; however the vagina is slightly shorter, and the common urogenital opening (the urethra merges with the vaginal canal near the opening) is at the front. The opening can stretch as much as a human vaginal opening; mermaid babies are born live. A clitoris (which is the same color as the tail) is slightly below the urogenital opening, and an anus is above the urogenital opening. Mermaid vaginas are slightly smaller than human ones (since merman penises are smaller, explained below), so they tend to be more sexually satisfying to human males.

Males do have a penis, but it is almost as small as a human female clitoris and is the same color as the tail; it is hardly visible (this is the only plausible explanation to why no one has ever seen a penis on any of merman). It is used for urination, as well as sexual intercourse. The testicles are inside the tail, as opposed to the pelvis, since they require a slightly lower temperature to function properly (the human and pelvis part is warm-blooded, but the tail is cold-blooded). The anus is above the penis.

Diet

The mermaid mostly eats fish, but has been known to subsist on other meats, fruits and vegetables. There are some species of mermaid that are vegetarians only.

Habitat

The mermaid is able to exist equally on land and in the sea, although it can become dehydrated if on land for extended periods of time. Most mermaids live in schools or pods, but some are known to travel as hermits. They can live in caverns below the sea and in undersea cities. The merpeople cities is more common on other planets, but in the future there will be build bigger merpeople cities on Earth. Some of the merpeople are more advanced technological and spiritual than Earth human and is several thousand years ahead. They have free energy, teleportation, interstellar space travelling etc. Some of the merpeople live on big space stations and on starships.”

"Minerva"~ The Roman goddess of wisdom and science. 

(Reference: https://mysticmerangel.tumblr.com/post/114814202014/anatomy-of-a-mermaid-mermaid-anatomy-a)

For more info, see the Kindle book, The Anatomy of A Mermaid on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Mermaid-Tom-Ryerson-ebook/dp/B0097JWU

Dragons: To follow or not to follow

"Dragons are intelligent, more intelligent than men according to some maesters. They have affection for their friends and fury for their enemies." ― Tyrion Lannister 

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I began reading about dragon lore a short time after I realized that I was not only born in The Year of the Dragon, but, inadvertently, that my chosen craft name had somewhat of a connection to them.

Recently; however, I have been hearing a lot about a tradition called, "Draconic Wicca." Now, I have been an ecclectic Wiccan practitioner for 25 years and as intriguing as this concept sounds, I honestly have no desire to incorporate dragons into my everyday practice. From what I have read in regards to it thus far, Draconic Wicca is fairly complex and, as with any disciplined practice, requires a lot of time and patience. There can be no self-doubt nor question what-so-ever in your mind that this is the path you wish and that what you are doing is absolutely necessary and for the good of all concerned (sound a bit familiar to any fellow Wiccans out there?). Furthermore, it requires a lot of self-reflection before even considering the idea of actually working with dragons ...

"Dragons will not work with a practitioner that ignores them. But one, who follows them to the best of their ability, earns the respect of Dragons and will have no problem working with them." ~ from the 'Draconic Code of Honor'

For those who may be interested in further reading, please click on the link below:

(Source: https://dragondreaming.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/draconic-wicca/)

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From the treasure chest: Bargain books and more!

This week's From the Treasure Chest post includes a few bargain books and other miscellaneous book-related items. This pretty little mermaid book marker came from our local Barnes & Noble Book Store.

And some some more bargain books to add to my mermaid and dragon book collections which I also found while shopping around  ...

A coffee table book of mermaid poetry.

A Faeries and Enchantment magazine featuring a mermaid section.

Some of these publications I have had for many years now and some of them are brand new finds!

From the treasure chest ...

As a recent gift and addition to my personal treasure chest, I wanted to share with all of you a beautiful piece I received for my birthday this year. It is an Amphitrite cameo brooch. As you all know, in Greek mythology she was Queen of the Sea, the wife of Poseidon, and daughter to Doris and Nereus.

Triumph of Poseidon and Amphitrite showing the couple in procession, detail of a vast mosaic from Cirta, Roman Africa (ca. 315–325 AD, now at the Louvre)
http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Amphitrite.html

I really love this portrait ...

Neptune and Amphitrite by Jacob de Gheyn II (latter 16th-century)

Two cool (and very cheap and inexpensive) Dragon necklaces I found on the WISH site last week ...

I used a bronze chain for this pendant.

The Dragon necklace is a bit big, but with the right attire, I think it could compliment pretty nicely!