A mystical creature. A mermaid is a young woman of the merfolk (or "merpeople"); from the waist up, she is most likely a beautiful maiden with flowing hair and generous proportions, while from the waist down, she has the tail of a fish or
dolphin. Mermaids, along with appearing physically beautiful, are also gifted with beautiful singing voices. Aside from the young women, the other merpeople are rarely shown.
Mermaids are known for falling
in love with human
men, and many ships and sailors are
said to have been dragged under the waves by the watery nymphomaniacs. Others are known to
play tricks on seafarers. Still others are known for saving
people who are in trouble at sea.
Then there is "the mermaid problem": despite being an enticing woman from the waist up, it is not known how these creatures procreate, which has led many human males to great frustration and many mermaids to great confusion. Still, if you
don't think to hard about it, it works out well... especially if merpeople have the ability to assume
full human form rather than half-fish, half-human.