The Nereids

Hi!

On sagen.at I found a tale from Greek folklore (from the period when Greece wasn't anymore polytheistic) in which the Nereids, these lovely sea-maidens and daughters of Nereus who rescued sailors, appeared as vampire-like or Vila-like demons. Their element is no longer the sea but rather the air. Though it might be a great demotion from lovely goddess to evil demon, but it is nevertheless interesting that they still are present in the mind of the people.

Other female deities who made promotion in Greek folklore might be the Gorgons since modern Greek word for mermaid is "Gorgon(a)"... it's strange how good beings like Nereids became evil and evil beings like the Gorgons became good/neutral. It's fascinating!

Greetings
Pemphredo

I agree. In my mind how the image of a creature/thing is twisted around by area in which they live and the beliefs/cultures that influence them.

Unfortunately that happens more or less wherever the Abrahamists are trampling in. They turn small deities and local folklore figures - who used to be helpers and protectors - into evil beings. Afraid of competition, one might joke but aside that it's a sad development really. As I wrote in another thread, it has made nature and lore so much paler and poorer. Less vibrant, less interesting. And somewhere along the line where nature 'died' we lost our respect for it, and started to destroy it instead. And look where it has brought us - a sick earth.