Mermaid Monday: Killed with Sticks April 16, 2018
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
This record is dated ‘Exeter, November, 1737’, presumably it appeared in some local newspaper. It is rather rare to find a two legged mermaid, though they are not unprecedented.
Some Fishermen near the city, drawing their Net ashore, a creature of two legs, having human shape, leapt out and ran away very swiftly. Not being able to overtake it, they knocked it down by throwing sticks after it. At their coming up to it, it was dying, and groaned like a human creature. Its feet were webbed like a duck’s. It has eyes, nose and mouth, resembling those of a man, only the nose somewhat depressed, and the tail not unlike a salmon’s, only turning up towards its back, and was four feet high. It was publicly shewn here.
Note that this seems to be the original version of a nineteenth century report of a mermaid from Exeter visited before at this place. The story is reminiscent in some ways of the Wild Man of Orford a medieval legend about a two legged sea man. Wonder what the display was like: a corpse presumably with some seaweed draped around his body. Other mermaids: drbeachcombing AT gmail DOT com
