The term Merrow (from Irish muiríoch or murúch, meaning "sea-dweller" or "sea maiden") refers to a mythical sea-being in Irish and Scottish folklore, typically depicted as a beautiful woman from the waist up and a fish from the waist down, like a traditional mermaid. The "Maiden of the Deep" refers to this mythical figure.
Key Characteristics
- Appearance: Female Merrows are often described as beautiful, with long green hair and pale skin, sometimes having slight webbing between their fingers. In contrast, male Merrows (mermen) are generally depicted as grotesque, with pig-like eyes, green teeth, and scaly, stunted limbs.
- Magical Cap (cohuleen druith): Merrows possess a special red cap or cloak, called a cohuleen druith (Irish: cochaillín draíochta, meaning "little magic hood"), which allows them to travel between the deep ocean and dry land. If a human steals and hides this cap, the Merrow is stranded on land and can be compelled to marry the person.
- Behaviour: Merrows are known for their enchanting, musical voices, which they use to sing or keen. This sound can soothe waters, serve as an omen of storms, or lure sailors to their deaths or into an enchanted state beneath the waves. While some stories portray them as benevolent and capable of affection for humans, others depict them as dangerous or vengeful fairies.
- Marriages and Longing: Legends often tell of human men marrying Merrows after stealing their caps. These unions inevitably end when the Merrow finds her hidden cap and is drawn irresistibly back to the sea, leaving her human family behind due to an intense homesickness.