Of Mermaids and Sirens

 From The Greek Reporter:

Mermaids, folkloric creatures with the head and upper body of a woman and lower body of a fish, appear in many cultures across the world. Many have traced the contemporary conception of a mermaid to the ancient Greek figure of the Siren, even though similar creatures can be found across the world. Sirens were dangerous creatures in Greek mythology. The fearsome figures, which were described and depicted as half-woman and half-bird, sat perched on rocky crags along the sea, singing beautiful, seductive songs. They hoped to ensnare nearby sailors, luring them onto the dangerous rocks with their songs, causing shipwrecks. (Read more.)