• pmjv@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
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    21 hours ago

    They are 1:1 copy of Greek Naiads (water nymphs). Sirens are mermaids (fish tails), water nymphs don’t have fish tails. That’s the only difference as far as I know. Both drown men.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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      21 hours ago

      IIRC they’re undead, which is different. Specifically, suicides by drowning of jilted lovers, which is so particular it’s no wonder they aren’t often seen. /s

      Hmm… Wikipedia says that’s a later version, and in the pagan era they were probably much more Naiad-ish, including some being benign. I don’t know if I’d say “copy”, as it’s hard to say for sure it doesn’t extend back to the proto-Indo-European days. There’s not much evidence of contact with the Greeks until after the Greek epics were written.

      Anyway, hope you appreciate my research content.

      • pmjv@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
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        21 hours ago

        I appreciate your research content!

        I was going off by the aesthetic alone, I’m not surprised their backstories differ, but it’s not really something you think about when you’re getting pulled to the bottom. You probably would notice a fish tail though.