Marvellous Mermaids

Jose Ortiz - The King With a Heavy Crown

This post concludes my fairytale trio of Fabulous Fairies, Delightful Dragons and now Marvellous Mermaids.  Mermaids featured in many stories of my childhood, so much so that I accepted their existence without question.

 The next three images appeared in issue #83 of Once Upon a Time from 1970 illustrating a story called 'Moorea and the Fisher-boy'.  It tells the tale of a princess stolen by sea kelpies.  A resourceful fisher-boy called Raphael manages to lure her into his net and takes her back to shore. When her feet touch land Moorea realises who she is and all that has happened.  Raphael, of course, is knighted for his efforts and and he and Moorea are married.  Sometimes at night they would then walk down to the shore to watch the kelpies at play - but they were always very careful not to venture too close to the water's edge.

Moorea and the Fisher - Boy

Moorea and the Fisher Boy

Moorea and the Fisher-Boy

A cute illustration by Joze Ortiz from a story called 'Salty the Sea Fairy:

Jose Ortiz - Salty the Sea Fairy

I don't know who the artist was who painted this wonderful depiction of King Neptune.  It is clearly signed with the initials RH.  I think the blue/green shades and water colour technique very effectively convey the essence of the sea.

King Neptune

The Water Babies are not strictly speaking mermaids but I'm sneaking them in as this gives me another opportunity to include some more of Jesus Blasco's brilliant illustrations from this classic story:

Jesus Blasco - The Water Babies

Jesus Blasco - The Water Babies

Jesus Blasco - The Water Babies

The next two illustrations are from a book called 'My Book of Fairy Stories' published in 1959.  It is one of my earliest memories.  My grandmother kept this book at her home for many years so I had something to enjoy looking at when we went to visit.

There are six different stories in the book.  The author of each is clearly acknowledged, but the illustrations, which all appear to be the work of the same artist, are strangely not recognised at all. 

These rather suggestive little mermaids come from 'The Golden Crown' (written by Margaret Smith) and have a lovely delicate touch. 

The Golden Crown

The Golden Crown

Disney's re-telling of the classic Little Mermaid story came long after my childhood so does not qualify for my blog.  Before Ariel the most famous Disney mermaids are probably these glamorous little creatures from Peter Pan.

Walt Disney - Peter Pan