Mermaid Tales
There may be no better symbol of our connection to nature than the mermaid.
Mermaid tales span the globe and speak truths in a thousand tongues. Connect and inspire those you love with mermaid designs and the tales of:
Atargatis - Assyria
The Assyrian moon goddess who became the world’s first mermaid
Tale
The Assyrian goddess of the moon Atargatis spent eons watching over the world before her eyes lit upon the young shepherd Adad. As she lit his path in darkness, her heart was touched by how tenderly he cared for his flock. She fell in love with him, and he with her. Sadly, her divine love was too great for mortal man to bear and he perished.
Devastated, she fell from the moon to the sea, changing into a fish as she hit the water. But Adad’s world could not survive without her love to light the way through the darkness. So she stopped her transformation halfway. She became the world’s first mermaid so her beautiful face could still shine across land, sea and sky to light the way for all.
Atargatis and Adad’s daughter Semiranis grew to sit upon the Lion Throne of Babylon. Her reign brought stability and peace with great building projects like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon — one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Coins from the realm pictured Atargatis atop the Lion of Babylon, showing her protective dominion over land, sea and sky.
Designs
Aycayia - Caribbean
The Taino muse who inspires those rejected by society to find their tribe
Tale
Aycayia was one of seven sisters who each had a special talent. Aycayia’s was her sweet voice. She sang as her sisters played music, danced and performed as a traveling troupe when their Taino chief visited his people. Alas, one day, on the way to perform, a hurricane overturned their canoe, sending all Acayia’s sisters to perish in the sea.
Heartbroken and alone, Aycayia poured all her heart and soul into her song. Her voice so moved the villagers that they would leave their work to hear her. This angered their wives and the elder woman of the village. The women exiled Aycayia to a remote island, but still the villagers would leave to hear her sing. So the elder cursed Aycayia. She cruelly wished Aycayia to be cast asea like her sisters.
And so Aycayia was, but as a mermaid whose beautiful voice survived to call sweetly across the waves. Meanwhile, the old woman was turned into a black sea turtle for her spite. She was cast asea to silently contemplate the error of her ways. It’s said those rejected by society can follow Aycayia’s sweet voice across the oceans to find their tribe elsewhere across the seven seas.
Designs
Li Ban - Ireland
The Saint who proves dreams can come true
Tale
Li Ban lived in a beautiful valley with a lovely natural spring in Ireland. All the people in the village loved the beautiful young maiden, and she loved them. One day, while she was out walking with her dog, the spring burst from the village well in a tower of water. Li Ban and her pup ducked into a cave, but the flood washed all her village and family away.
The whole valley filled with water and became what is known today as Loch (Lake) Neagh, while Li Ban and her dog remained safe in the cave, surrounded by water. One day, as she watched the fish swim by, she prayed that she could be like the salmon and swim away into the sea. Her prayers were answered! She transformed into a mermaid: half salmon and half maiden. And, her pup transformed into an otter.
Determined not to let others suffer the same fate as her loved ones, she used her freedom to swim the waters of Loch Neagh and the rivers and seas nearby warning others of impending storms and flood. A priest heard her song when sailing by and arranged to meet and baptize her Saint Muirgen in recognition of her good deeds. On her Saint’s Day of January 27, people still send wishes and gifts to her on the waves.
Designs
Nuwa - China
The mother goddess who makes the change she wants to see in the world
Tale
When the world first formed and earth separated from the sun, Nuwa was there to glide across the land on her beautiful serpentine dragon tail. Where she traveled water nourished the land and plants began to grow and bloom. She thought it quite lovely, but lonely. So she livened it up. She created dogs to run through the woods, sheep to graze in the fields, and pigs to root in the earth.
On the seventh day, seeing her reflection in the Yellow River, she took clay from the river bank and formed men and women. She gave them reed instruments to make music and dance in harmony with the universe.
All was peaceful until one day, the black water demon Gonggong and the red fire demon Zhurong fought and broke one of the pillars of heaven.
The sky began to fall. Using the leg of a tortoise to keep the heavens aloft, Nuwa quickly patched the hole in the sky by smelting together five elemental stones of blue-black water, green wood, red fire, yellow earth and white metal. To this day, when heaven’s light shines through the stones at sunrise and sunset spreading color across the sky, we know we are safe and can look forward to a beautiful tomorrow.
Designs
Oshun - Africa
The Yoruba Orisha who proves true beauty comes from within
Tale
When Oshun was a little Orisha nature diety in Yorubaland Africa, she heard the other Orisha grumble that they had to do all the work on earth, as god was as far away as the sun. God heard the ungrateful Orisha and became angry. He dried up all the water in the land and everything began to die. The other Orisha were too proud and fearful to risk the long journey to the heavens to ask for God’s help, but Oshun’s heart broke for her people.
She decided to plead for their sake. The others laughed that the youngest and smallest of them thought she could do this, but they did not stop her.
So Oshun turned into a beautiful peacock and flew up and up to the sun, so close that her feathers began to singe and burn. When she could fly no more, she called out to God to please restore the waters and save the people. She then fell back to earth, burnt and dark as a vulture.
God was so impressed by her sacrifice, that he restored the rains and waters to the land. And henceforth, Oshun, in her vulture form was the only Orisha messenger who could speak directly to God. She is the Orisha of beauty, sweet (fresh) water, love and fertility that shows us true beauty comes from within.
Designs
Suvannamaccha - Cambodia
The golden mermaid who turns the tides of fortune for love, peace and prosperity
Tale
When the Demon King Ravana abducted Rama’s wife Sita, Rama asked his friend the Monkey King Hanuman to help save her. They devised a plan to build a bridge to the island of Sri Lanka where Sita was held captive. Every day the army would place rocks in the sea to build the bridge, but every morning the rocks would be gone.
Finally, Hanuman dove beneath the waves to investigate, and, was captivated by a vision of loveliness. The beautiful golden mermaid Suvannamaccha was directing her mermaid navy to protect the island by carrying the rocks far away with the tide. At the sight of Suvannamaccha, Hanuman fell madly in love. His only desire was to catch her, but she slipped through his fingers whenever he tried.
He then began to woo her with sweet words and gifts. Finally, they spoke and Hanuman told her of his quest to save Rama’s true love Sita. Touched by the tale of true love, she turned the tides of fortune, allowing the rocks to be restored so true love could prevail and Sita could be saved.
Designs
Ooweila - Global
kiri’s global mermaid is an empath, a protector and a healer who harnesses the power of rainbows, light, and water to give others hope in rough times.
Tale
In the beginning, Ooweila did not know who she was, where she came from or what her purpose and powers were. She was no more than two huge eyes peering out the translucent walls of an egg rocked on the waves and carried by the current. But through the water, she could feel the movement of those around her, and felt connected to all the creatures in the sea.
She felt the whale’s song in her belly and joy at the dolphins’ playful chirps. But just as she could feel their joy, she could feel their pain. She felt the thrashing of animals caught in fisher’s nets, and the cries of migrating polar bear cubs trying to make it to landfall from the polar ice.
When she could unfurl her tail, she learned she could swim to help them, changing colors to move invisibly through the water like an octopus. Playing with light and water, she could make rainbows and help transport those in need safely to the other side. And so she found her purpose. And, though none were exactly like her, she knew she’d found her family, too.
Product features
- Unisex softstyle t-shirt made from 100% ring-spun cotton for durability and comfort
- Ribbed knit collar with shoulder tape for added structure
- Classic fit with crew neckline suitable for various occasions
- Pearlized, tear-away label for wearing comfort
- Ethically grown and harvested US cotton certified by Oeko-Tex for safety and quality assurance
Care instructions
- Do not dry clean
- Do not bleach
- Tumble dry: low heat
- Iron, steam or dry: low heat
- Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F), with similar colors
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Gildan 64000, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Warnings, Hazard: For adults, Made in Bangladesh
Care instructions: Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F), with similar colors , Do not bleach, Tumble dry: low heat, Iron, steam or dry: low heat, Do not dryclean