Merrow

Merrow stories include relationships between humans and sea beings. In the published tale “The Lady of Gollerus,” a woman’s ability to return underwater depends on a magical red cap that a human man takes from her.

Nineteenth-century collections helped establish familiar merrow imagery. Their contents require care: “The Soul Cages,” often discussed as merrow folklore, was a literary invention by Thomas Keightley rather than an authentically collected oral tale.

• Wikipedia contributors, “Merrow”; secondary reference overview discussing folklore and literary provenance.