Siren
There are many tales of the Sirens, most of which appear to be of Greek origin. The Sirens brought about the death of thousands of men. In fact, Odysseus and the Argonauts are the only ones who are known to have come up against the Sirens and survived.
Sirens have the bodies of great eagles but their heads are those of women. They are often confused with Harpies but are very very different. Their heads are the only part which resemble any part of a human but those heads are beautiful and alluring whereas the Harpy is a filthy and ugly creature. Sirens live in groups of females (no male Siren has ever been mentioned), usually near cliffs and craggy shorelines where they lure ships to be smashed on the terrible rocks.
The Sirens use their voices to lure mariners to their deaths. They sing, and their song is beautiful, seductive and completely irrisitible. It is said that sailors became so enchanted that they steered their ships toward the bewitching sound where they were crushed against the rocks. The Sirens then attacked any survivors and left their bones and sinews strewn across the shore.
There are
several tales reagarding the creation of the Sirens in Greek
mythology. One claims that they were the children of the river
god Achelous and one of the muses (possibly Terpsichore or
Melpomene). In this tale the Harpies entered into a singing
competition against the muses and were changed into their
birdlike forms when they lost the contest. Another story suggests
that the Sirens may have been loyal companions to Persephone.
Their wings appeared in order to aid them in their search for her
when she was abducted by Hades, the God of the Underworld. The
Christians have also mentioned the Sirens as a symbol of the
temptation and wiles of the Devil.
Includes information found in The Cryptozoological Society of
London's 'A Natural History of the Unnatural World'
