Mermaid folklore is something that fascinates me. But the image of 'the mermaid' as described in European fairytales, classical art and Disney seems pretty 'by the book': Half human, half fish, split just beneath the belly button.

What about mermaids that break the rules? 1/

Firstly most mermaids are fish/people split down the middle... but why must they always be split horizontally along the waist? What if the split was from head to toe?

The Moon god Avatea is a Cook Island Maori (Mangaian) merman who is often split left to right. /2

Does a mermaid always have to be a 50/50 blend of human and fish?

The Boti of the Amazon, is a shape shifting 'weredolphin' who can be a handsome man, a dolphin, and a hybrid depending on what it needs.

(Credit: https://merlinnus78.tumblr.com/post/141894137968/wereshark-and-weredolphin-for-5th-edition) /3

Ningyo of Japanese folklore are part human, part fish, BUT often the fishlike area goes all the way up to the face. Therefore you have a mermaid who's only truly human features are her head. /4

Also does a mermaid have to be part fish? What about other aquatic creatures...

The Greco-Roman Cecaelia were half human, half octopus. Whilst Ursula the Disney sea witch is known, the rest of her clan are far less depicted today. /5

Also who's to say that mermaids have to be beautiful?!

The Siyokoy from the Philippines much more resemble The Creature From The Black Lagoon than Ariel. /6

Finally the huge number of aquatic spirits in Aboriginal stories which resemble mermaids at face value but are so different when you see them depicted. These are Yawk Yawks.

(This piece was by artist Sonia Namarnyilk https://babbarra.com/artist/sonia-namarnyilk/) /7

I posted this because:
1. Popular images of myths and legends can cover up equally valid, and often ancient, alternative versions.
2. The versions of the stories we lose tend to be non-white and they are supplanted by white archetypes.
3. Mermaids are AWESOME! /8