The Ceasg is a terrifying Scottish mermaid of folklore whose beauty, wishes, and monstrous power have haunted legends for centuries, writes WILLIAM BOVE
The ocean has many wonders and many treasures. Some shine brightly and we’ll remember them always. Others terrify us, haunt our dreams, and dare us to fall asleep. One such terrifying creature is the Ceasg. This Scottish creature of folklore is known to be a mermaid who is half woman and half grilse, or salmon.
In Scottish Gaelic she is known as Maighdean na Tuinne, which translates to “maid of the wave”. She is also known as Maighdean Mhara, meaning “maid of the sea”.
Her story goes back to the 19th century, but her origins are said to stretch back centuries and centuries before that. Somewhere around the fifth or sixth century, although the exact period is only a guesstimation.
Even though these creatures are ancient, it’s easy to find information about them. Stories and tales of the creatures are plentiful, like a good catch from the sea these creatures come from.
The Ceasg Among Humans
Being mermaids, these creatures are fond of singing songs to attract and lure men to the deep and to their doom. Being no strangers to attraction, the Ceasg are very beautiful, alluring, and charismatic.
The Ceasg do seem to have a soft spot for mating and creating families with human men. They enjoy the ability to create offspring and tend to them for years at a time. They are very fond of taking to the land and leaving the sea for a while.
While on land they can shed their lower half and walk upright on human legs, thus taking the form of an almost inhumanly beautiful woman. To the unsuspecting and unwary man, it’s their lucky day that such a mysterious woman should come out of nowhere and marry them.
Not every Ceasg will marry a mortal man, but some have been known to fall in love with life on land, remaining to watch over their young for years at a time.
Their children are half human and half Ceasg, possessing wonderful talents and abilities for navigation and life at sea. Being fortunate in the ways of luck and talent for sailing, they are often watched over by their Ceasg mothers from the safety of the ocean, when their parents choose to return to the sea, of course.
Wishes, Favours, and Deadly Prices
Other boons that these wily creatures of the depths are known to grant are wishes. Should a Ceasg manage to not only be caught but captured, they are known to grant up to three wishes to their captor.
Anyone would, of course, be overjoyed at this prospect, but be careful and warned. The Ceasg will grant wishes, however there is a catch. The wishes, once granted, will come at a nasty and terrible price.
It must be kept in mind that while these creatures are beautiful wish granters, they are also malevolent in nature and will seek to punish those who dwell on land. Especially those who know their lore and seek to catch them.
There are fishermen who enjoy favourable crops and plentiful hauls of fish year after year. These are just some of the favours that the Ceasg is able to grant.
I would not want to owe one of these creatures too many favours for the wishes they grant. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t want to owe these creatures any kind of favour at all.
The deadly Ceasg can shrink down to the size of a small salmon. This is done in order to appear like a normal creature, fooling humans into a false sense of trust.
Once this trust is achieved, these sirens can get close to people and drag them down to their swift and sure demise.
If all this wasn’t enough to keep you away from these watery beauties, there is one last aspect of these “Scottish sirens” that is sure to terrify.
The Giant Horror Beneath the Sea
The darkest part of their folklore lies in their ability to take on a gigantic form. A form of colossal proportions. At this size, the Ceasg is said to be larger than a huge whale. Oftentimes she is said to be even bigger.
Tradition says that she reserves this form especially for demanding sacrifices, male sacrifices. She can swallow men whole in one gulp.
If this happens, there is still hope. The swallowed can certainly be rescued, but for that to happen, a few conditions must be met.
Satisfying these conditions could mean your life, but for the very brave, the task is surely worth it.
Below the depths of the ocean is hidden the one thing that can destroy the Ceasg. It is the one vulnerability she has.
According to the more monstrous tales of the creature, the Ceasg will hide a bright mystical egg where no one can find it. The egg holds the life force of the Ceasg.
The only way to destroy the Ceasg once and for all is to crush the egg and end her life. It seems almost a shame to have this creature destroyed. The folklore and stories are so entertaining and rich in symbolism.
To get rid of these stories altogether would surely be a great disservice to the people and land of Scotland herself, leaving the light that guides future generations all the dimmer.
