The Naiads, Undines of the Springs, Lakes, and Rivers/ MERMAID MYTHOLOGY/ Sirens; Celtic Mermaids;the Maidu Indian Merman; the Dakinis of the Lakes of Tibet and other lore of the Naiad

The Naiads' Domain

2009

mixed media digital art

by Eric Whollem

Copyright by the artist.

Mermaids of Inland Waters

The Naiad is a "freshwater" mermaid. Springs, lakes, rivers, and
wells are traditionally ascribed to the Naiads. However these waters
are not always free of salt; for many a hot spring has mineral salts and
sulphur.

It is at a hot spring that the subterranean waters rush forth into our

domain. Thus "freshwater" may be a misleading designation of the

Naiad.

The Naiads' cousin is the Nereid, the mermaid of the salt sea.

This video presents lore about the Naiads.

                                               

PROTECTORS OF THE HOT SPRINGS AND WELLS

The famous hot springs on the Salisbury Plain in England are named

for the Goddess Sulis. She is related to the Roman Salacia, the wife

of Neptune. On many Roman fountains images of Neptune abound.

Common words like saline and salt are hidden in Salacia's name.

Our European ancestors attributed healing and prophetic abilities to

the Naiad. The healing spirits, Hygeia and Aesculapius of Greece

are examples.

In France the Fays were the Naiads of the wells who blessed the

crops of grain. Melusine was one of the most famous Fays of

France.

The Dracs were French river Naiads, who are said to

travel on the waters in golden cups. These cups may be a folklore

rendition of the ancient lore of the cauldron, or Goddess Womb.

                                                *

The well known product, Bromo Seltzer, is named after a Naiad,

named variously Borvo, Borvoni, Bormo, Borvoni and Bormanus.

Other Naiads of the hot spring include Mephistus and Cloacina.

From this latter Naiad we get the modern soap product, Clorox.

Was Tide, a famous soap brand, named subconsciously for the
hidden correlations of the salt sea and the cleansing waters of the
hot spring? Humanity has a deep link to the mermaid and merman.
(What the world needs is a deeply esoteric study of the laundromat.)

Boraxo, famous from the TV series, "Death Valley Days," is based
on borax, a mineral deposited on the ancient sea floors of the
Great Basin of western America. (No offense is made to the manu-
facturers of these products, and in no way is the author connected
to them.)



ODYSSEUS AND THE SIRENS                                         

In Homer's famous story of Odysseus, it is related that when

Odysseus returned to Ithaca, after being imperilled by the Sirens

at sea, he made offerings to the Naiads in a grotto. This demonstrates

that the Sirens were a different order of mermaid to the mind of our

sailor. Indeed, the Sirens are the scourges of the Gods, the law

servers of the world of the Gods, the "police" of the Gods, while

the nymphs of the grotto were tame by comparison, and amenable

to entreaties from mortals. Odysseus was a blasphemer of the

gods, an anti-hero.

Mermaid and merman art by Eric Whollem.



CELTIC MERMAID LORE

Sacred wells were very common in Celtic lands.  The Well of

Segais is one of the best known, being the headwaters of the

River Boyne. This well was circled by hazel trees with crimson

nuts. The salmons who ate these nuts were called "The Salmons

of Knowledge."

Liban was a Celtic fairy queen, a guardian of the wells, who could

take the form of a salmon.



MAIDU INDIAN MERMAN                                               

The Maidu Indians in California have a salmon merman, or male

Naiad, named Woctolly (Waktali).

This video shows some of my Woctolly art.

DAKINIS OF THE LAKES

In Tibet lakes are the haunt of Dakinis, who essentially are the

Naiads of the Himalayas.

This video presents images of the Dakinis.

See more posts of MERMAID ART on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/mermaids

My posts on the NAIADS may be accessed here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/naiads

*