Nare

Lore

In Eastern Europe, mermaids are called Nare, and according to legends, they differ from classic mermaids, though there are common traits. It is said that a Nare could be the spirit of a girl who drowned before her wedding. There is no clarification as to whether her death was accidental or intentional. But records tell that such a girl's spirit found no peace, even if all funeral traditions and rites were observed. She remains in the river where she drowned and subsequently turns into a mermaid.

By nature, she is an evil mermaid, depicted as being waist-deep in water, with long, loose green hair. It should be added that her hair isn't always green; it turns greener as the mermaid ages. One could say that the greener the hair, the older the mermaid. There's no exact confirmation that she has a fish tail instead of legs. Perhaps when she wants to come ashore, it transforms into human legs. There's no reliable information, but legends say that this type of mermaid can come out of the water and visit villages, even participating in celebrations. She often does this deliberately to lure a young man closer to the water—usually a river. As soon as they're near the river and the opportunity arises, she drags him into the water and pulls him to the bottom.

You can often notice a Nare as she runs or dances near the river, even during the daytime. Sometimes she simply sits and brushes her long hair for hours. Occasionally, you might notice that she is sad when her hair is completely green. It becomes increasingly difficult for her to blend in with ordinary village girls, as the color of her hair immediately reveals her. Therefore, every traveler should be aware of the characteristic of mermaids inhabiting the eastern lands of Europe—namely, the green hair.

It should also be added that, while sitting on the shore, they can sing songs so beautiful that they are capable of attracting a person or adventurer, thereby dooming them to certain death. There's also a belief that these mermaids, when they drag a person into the water, can tickle them to death. Even worse, if the Nare encounters a man who had been beating his wife, he might not count on an easy death. She would torment him until his very end, and there's no escape.