A Natural History of Mermaids PDF Download

Author: Emily Hawkins
Publisher: Folklore Field Guides
ISBN: 0711266492
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 66

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Book Description
A Natural History of Mermaids is a meticulously detailed field notebook containing all there is to know about the natural history of mermaids from around the world. In 1872, intrepid (fictional) explorer Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man to claim a place on board the (real life) scientific expedition of the HMS Challenger. She made a record of her findings on the trip, recounting the extraordinary sea creatures she witnessed: creatures that, until now, nobody had believed really existed... mermaids! Following on from the beautiful A Natural History of Fairies and A Natural History of Magick, this beautifully illustrated vintage album is filled with descriptions and illustrations of Delamare's findings, from tales of mermaids in ancient lore to more recent sightings as well as facts on the beliefs and superstitions surrounding these elusive creatures. Children will delight in discovering the anatomy, behaviour and lifecycles of the Merfolk and how they have hidden themselves from human discovery over millennia. Pore over the anatomy of tails, learn how these mysterious creatures communicate and immerse yourself in their underwater world. The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.

Author: Emily Hawkins
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
ISBN: 0711247668
Category : Fairies
Languages : en
Pages : 67

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Book Description
Fairies are all around us--you just need to look carefully and you'll see signs of them everywhere. Written and compiled by the esteemed botanist Professor Arbour, prepare to be amazed as we discover everything there is to know about the natural history of fairies.

Author: Anna Claybourne
Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
ISBN: 9781786275851
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Magical and mysterious, the merfolk of the world are notoriously elusive, but this enchanting compendium will reveal their secrets. Learn all about the beautiful selkies of the Scottish seas, the wily iara of Brazil who love to outwit travelers, and the fearful Ningyo of Japan who can give you eternal life. This captivating book features a mix of mermaid "facts" and short retellings of some of the most magical and enticing traditional merfolk tales.

Author: Cristina Bacchilega
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143133721
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 370

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Book Description
*Includes "The Little Mermaid," now a major motion picture from Disney starring Halle Bailey and directed by Rob Marshall* Dive into centuries of mermaid lore with these captivating tales from around the world. A Penguin Classic Among the oldest and most popular mythical beings, mermaids and other merfolk have captured the imagination since long before Ariel sold her voice to a sea witch in the beloved Disney film adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." As far back as the eighth century B.C., sailors in Homer's Odyssey stuffed wax in their ears to resist the Sirens, who lured men to their watery deaths with song. More than two thousand years later, the gullible New York public lined up to witness a mummified "mermaid" specimen that the enterprising showman P. T. Barnum swore was real. The Penguin Book of Mermaids is a treasury of such tales about merfolk and water spirits from different cultures, ranging from Scottish selkies to Hindu water-serpents to Chilean sea fairies. A third of the selections are published here in English for the first time, and all are accompanied by commentary that explores their undercurrents, showing us how public perceptions of this popular mythical hybrid--at once a human and a fish--illuminate issues of gender, spirituality, ecology, and sexuality. For more than seventy-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 2,000 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Author: Emily B. Martin
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
ISBN: 1250794358
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
A magical and lushly illustrated field guide to the mermaids that inhabit our ponds, streams and oceans, based on real ecological details—with a strong environmental focus—perfect for fans of The Magical Unicorn Society series. A glimmer of fish scales. A splash from a colorful fin. The echo of a mysterious song across the water. . . Few mythical creatures are more instantly recognizable or more mysterious than mermaids. Whether seen perched on a rock at the water’s edge or spied only as a dim outline beneath the waves, mermaids have long fascinated sailors, scientists, storytellers, and surprised onlookers alike. Now, for the first time, thanks to dedicated research and a hint of magic, comes A Field Guide to Mermaids, introducing the many species of mermaids native to the United States. With an eye toward the preservation of our natural habitats, Emily B. Martin shares the never-before-told stories of the mermaids who share our waters in this enchanting and beautifully illustrated guidebook.

Author: Skye Alexander
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1507206666
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
The allure and mystery of mermaids has taken hold of our psyche for ages. From the Irish merrows who come on land to search for human husbands to the fake Fiji Mermaid made popular by P.T Barnum, these sea maidens (and sometimes men) can be found in folklore and mythology from every tradition in the world. Inside this captivating collection, complete with beautiful illustrations throughout, you'll discover the myths surrounding these enigmatic beings, explore the common symbols associated with them, and learn tales of merfolk from around the world. Dive into Mermaids and get swept away!

Author: Poppy David
Publisher: Folklore Field Guides
ISBN: 0711260257
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 66

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Book Description
This enchantingly illustrated natural history of magick, compiled in the 1920s by the globetrotting naturalist Professor Conrad Gessner for his grandson, is now unveiled for readers of today. Featuring a gold foil–embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed gold edges, this gorgeous volume is filled with intriguing sketches and precise notes detailing the secret world of magic, a natural force hidden all around us. Inside, you will discover the history of magic and its dazzling array of practices around the globe. Delight in this hidden world as you learn about these and more topics: Different types of magic (Explore divination, tarot reading, astrology, numerology, alchemy, and more.) Powerful plants (Peppermint is fantastic for cleansing, and also known to ward off vampires.) Wand trees (Apple tree wands are helpful in matters of love and fertility while beech is best for scholars using wordy spells.) Familiars (Choose the perfect magical companion. If you love to gossip, you might choose a ferret as your familiar or, for improved thinking, an owl.) The most magical of days (Discover the power and stories of Imbolc, the solstices, All Hallows’ Eve, and more.) Magical scripts (Learn about the secret languages used through history for communicating with the spirit world.) With this precious scrapbook as your guide, tap into the powerful energies that will help you harness your own magic.

Author: Sarah Laskow
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524792764
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description
From Ariel to the current craze for Sirens, mermaids have captivated our imaginations. But what's true and what's fairy tale? For centuries, mermaids have appeared in the folklore of cultures from around the world, including the Near East, Europe, Asia, and Africa. And Disney made everyone want to dive under the sea with Ariel when the movie The Little Mermaid hit theaters in 1989. But what are mermaid stories based on? Many myths say these creatures are half human and half fish, while others claim they are simply manatees mistaken for something more magical. Some grant wishes and fall in love, yet others have lured sailors to their doom. Although we can't say for sure where the tales of these elusive figures first originated, author Sarah Laskow separates the fact from the fiction. This full-color, fully illustrated book tells you all you need to know about the myths, science, and history that surround mermaids.

Author: Jan Bondeson
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501722271
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 332

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Book Description
In his new collection of essays, Jan Bondeson tells ten fascinating stories of myths and hoaxes, beliefs and Ripley-like facts, concerning the animal kingdom. Throughout he recounts—and in some instances solves—mysteries of the natural world which have puzzled scientists for centuries. Heavily illustrated with photographs and drawings, the book presents astounding tales from across the rich folklore of animals: a learned pig more admired than Sir Isaac Newton by the English public, an elephant that Lord Byron wanted to employ as his butler, a dancing horse whose skills in mathematics were praised by William Shakespeare, and, of course, the extraordinary creature known as the Feejee Mermaid. This object became the foremost curiosity of London in the 1820s and later in the century toured the United States under the management of P. T. Barnum. Bearing a striking resemblance to a wizened and misshapen monkey with a fishtail, the mermaid was nonetheless proclaimed a genuine specimen by 'experts.' Bondeson explores other zoological wonders: toads living for centuries encased in solid stone, little fishes raining down from the sky, and barnacle geese growing from trees until ready to fly. In two of his most fascinating chapters, he uncovers the origins of the basilisk, considered one of the most inexplicable mythical monsters, and of the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary. With the head and body of a rooster and the tail of a snake, the basilisk was said to be able to kill a person with its gaze. Bondeson demonstrates that belief in this fabulous creature resulted from misinterpretations of rare events in natural history. The vegetable lamb, a mainstay of museums in the seventeenth century, was allegedly half plant, half animal: it had the shape of a little lamb, but grew from a stem. After examining two vegetable lambs still in London today, Bondeson offers a new theory to explain this old fallacy.

Author: Lu Vickers
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813030418
Category : Photography
Languages : en
Pages : 295

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Book Description
Provides an entertaining history of one of Florida's oldest roadside attractions, Weeki Wachee Spring and its performing mermaids, that ranges from its development in 1947 to the present day, bringing together extensive archival research and interviews with dozens of mermaids and other park employees with 250 black-and-white and color photographs.