Mermaids In Greek Folklore

Mermaids, Fairies, and Witches are some of the most prominent mythical characters in today’s entertainment. These creatures are common characters in Folklore from various countries around the world. Folklore from other countries and cultures often affects how authors portray these creatures in the movies, books, and TV shows that are familiar to the citizens of America. One such country is Scotland, which is filled with multitudes of different folk stories. Scottish Folklore in particular has many tales about these three well known creatures. The most commonly known folklore from Scotland has had a huge impact on some of the most well known entertainment in the United States today.
One of these creatures, the mermaid, is the most widely known

creature from Scottish folklore (Harris 10). People all over the U.S. enjoy different forms of entertainment that depict varying versions of mermaids. In Scottish folklore, mermaids are are depicted with tales of violent women from the sea that are incredibly dangerous (Harris para 13). These dark underwater creatures are said to have many different magics at their disposal that they use to wreak havoc and cause tragedy as well as death (Harris para 12). A mermaid's powers may vary from the ability to predict or influence the future, curse human beings in different ways, or even to grant wishes that often require a payment or have unwanted effects later in the wish (Harris para 10-11). The half-woman, half-fish beings are also said to be beautiful of face and voice, shown by the way human men often tried to capture the mermaids and bind them to the land (Harris para 13). Scottish Folklore told of men who waited by the shore in hopes of stealing a mermaid’s scales while she was out of the water so that the mermaid would be trapped (Harrie para 13). These characteristics were the most commonly occurring descriptions of mermaids in Scotland's Folktales. These qualities from Scottish Folklore can be found in some of the most popular and well known movies and plays from the United State’s current entertainment.
Today, the way mermaids are portrayed has changed in most stories and movies. However, in some of the more popular movies, the influences of Scottish Folklore can still be found. In Peter Pan, when Peter takes Wendy to see the mermaids, he tells her that they are very cruel and like to drown people (Barrie scene 3). The mermaids in this story are spoken of as very dark and even murderous. Even with this acknowledgement that the mermaids are not nice creatures, they are still shown as beautiful with long, flowing hair (Barrie, scene 3). These two common attributes of Scotland’s mermaids show Scotland’s influence on the current popular culture that is most widely known in America.
Peter Pan is not the only evidence of the impact from Scottish Folklore on famous movies.

In fact, the movies do not even have to show the mermaids as evil creatures to incorporate details or ideas from Scottish Folklore, as shown by the famous Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. In this tale, Ariel has an amazing voice that she is loved for and is a major part of the plot (Johanningmeier scene 2). Ariel’s voice is a major part of her character as a mermaid. When she becomes human, she loses her voice entirely, associating the amazing voice with being a mermaid. This emphasizes the trait from Scottish Folklore of mermaids being creatures that possess unnaturally beautiful voices. King Triton is originally spoken of because of his powers over the sea (Johanningmeier scene 1). The fishermen claim that as a merperson, he has the ability to control the ocean and its waves. It is no wonder, with many of Scotland’s folk tales describing mermaids having various magical powers. Even with the entirety of the movie showing the goodness and beauty of mermaids, the writer of The Little Mermaid still managed to sneak in a reference to a darker side of the sea dwelling creatures. When the fishermen sing about mermaids, they include the lyrics “...Look out, lad, a mermaid be waitin' for you, In mysterious fathoms below,” (Johanningmeier scene 1). This paints mermaids as creatures that are waiting to enchant and drown the men on board. Even in a children’s movie with nice mermaids, Scotland’s

influence of what they believed was a mermaid’s most common trait, the dark malevolence they were said to possess, was shown.
Another popular Scottish folktale star, the witch, is a common character in the entertainment of today. Witches were said to be evil women with dark powers in Scotland’s folk tales. The powers that witches possessed came from the devil according to the folklore. Witches were often called hags and described as ugly and withered. These looks were supposedly an effect of their unnatural powers of evil and its decaying effect on the human body. In the tales, these powers were used for malevolent deeds, such as killing or harming ordinary humans greatly. Witches were said to curse and trick people in ways that would lead to death more often than not. These cruel old women held grudges, and acting on this want for revenge was commonly the cause for the cursing or murder of their victims. It was very obvious from these folktales that witches were not the heroes of their tales (Douglas pgs 218-269).
It is this portrayal of the witch that is shown in the better known movies and books of today. In the popular movie and play The Wizard of OZ, the introduction to the strange new land includes the citizens celebrating and congratulating Dorothy, the main character, for her killing of the oppressive Wicked Witch of the East (Rudoff scene 3). The small people of Oz, called munchkins, sing and dance to express their absolute glee at the death of this evil witch (Rudoff scene 3). After the song has finished, the munchkins wonder if Dorothy is a witch, and she vehemently denies this accusation right away. There is even a comment from Dorothy that she is , “... not a witch at all -- witches are old and ugly,” showing the influence from Scottish folklore as soon as witches are introduced into the plot (Rudoff scene 3). Not only have witches just been described as old and ugly, as described in Scotland’s tales, but they have also been displayed as evil and cruel. Such characteristics are made obvious by the munchkins’ clear delight at the witch's death, displayed by their song and dance. Then, the Wicked Witch of the West, the main witch in the play, vows to kill Dorothy for taking the shoes that she believes are hers and accidentally killing the witch’s sister, the Wicked Witch of the East (Rudoff scene 3). Once again, this shows how the ideas from Scottish tales effect current entertainment, in that the witch’s ability to hold a grudge is obvious. Not just that, but throughout the play, it is emphasized that the Wicked Witch is an ugly, green, old hag, like in the folklore from Scotland. Attributes of the witches from Scotland’s folklore are exhibited often throughout the play, making it an excellent example of the effect Scottish folklore has on today’s popular culture.
Plays are not the only things that have been impacted by Scotland's folk tales, as there is also evidence of Scottish influence in the well know movie and book The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

This influence is shown by the White Witch, Jadis, who is depicted as remorseless in her display of how she carelessly turns those that annoy her into stone (Shmoop para 1). Finally, The Little Mermaid, once again shows the influence of Scottish folklore by depicting Ursula the Sea Witch as evil and murderous (Johanningmeier scene 8-end). Once again, Scotland’s folk tales have influenced the depiction of a favorite character. The tales of witches that are malevolent and hideous has obviously had a large impact on today’s

entertainment.
Lastly, is a small, winged creature called a fairy, that is popular in Scottish folklore and well known to the rest of the world as well. These small beings are known to be troublemakers and quite mean or even aggressive if they feel like it (Harris para 43). They have been said to harm people quite often in Scotland’s folk tales. Fairies are also depicted as possessive of what they see as theirs (Harris para 43). The other prominent trait of the fairies is their tendency to covet the children of mortal women and even steal those children from time to time (Harris para 64). A common theme in the tales about the fairies has them hurting mothers of the children they steal or harming girls and boys that show an interest in the children they see as theirs. Fairies, even though they were said to be small, were described as jealous, angry, and vicious, and it is shown quite obviously in one of America’s most popular plays.
This play is called Peter Pan, and it is full of Scottish folklore influences on the way fairies are seen. Tinkerbell, the play’s fairy, is introduced with her yanking on Wendy’s hair because Wendy tried to kiss Peter, and Tinkerbell saw Peter as hers (Barrie act 1). Tinkerbell’s possessive behavior shows the characteristics that fairies are said to have in Scottish folklore. Then, Tinkerbell tries to have Wendy killed by telling the lost boys that this is what Peter wishes (Barrie act 2). The small fairy does this to keep Peter as hers in a very violent manner. It shows two of the prominent traits of fairies from Scottish tales. Later, we learn that Tinkerbell took Peter to Neverland herself after he had crawled from his crib . Tinkerbell exhibits another trait shown by the fairies from folklore in Scotland when she takes the human child from his mortal mother. All of these acts have Tinkerbell exhibiting her possessiveness over a human child that she has taken away. Peter Pan, the familiar play about a boy who does not grow up and his fairy, is wrought with influence from Scottish folklore.
Scottish folk tales have had a large impact on the United States’ entertainment of today. From children’s movies to famous plays, their influence is evident in some of the most well known popular culture. Some of people’s favorite creatures, such as mermaids, witches, and fairies, come from Scottish folklore. The way these creatures are depicted in Scottish folk tales has effected how the creatures are shown in today’s popular books, movies, and plays. These tales, while old, have had a major influence on what everyone sees, watches, and reads today in America.