Water
Mannikin is a guardian fairy that inhabits the figurehead of a ship. This creature is of German origin and reportedly invisible. Another name is the
Klaboutermannikin. Sailors believed that for the fairy to want to choose to inhabit their figurehead, the figurehead would have to be very lifelike. Only the oldest and most precious woods would be used to carve the figurehead. Supposedly, the Water Mannikins guarded the ship from ill health, rocks, troubling weather, and fearsome winds. If the ship went down, the fairy would guide the sailors to the Other Side. The Dutch thought that if you went down without the Water Minnikin it meant you would be forced to stay in a watery eternity.
I found this quite interesting when I'd read it from the dictionary at the back of
A Witches Guide to Faery Folk by Edain Mccoy. It has many interesting things listed back there. If you're a fairy enthusiast like me, I encourage you to get it. The dictionary at the back is very helpful if you're writing a story involving the fae.
Until next time~ ^_^
2 comments:
Wow, that's interesting stuff, Belle. I had never heard the term "Water Mannikin." Sounds like great inspiration for a story! And I love that photo. =)
Thank you! I have many books on fairies and other little creatures. Oddly enough, the book I'd mentioned in my post was the first place I'd heard about something like that.
The picture is pretty cool isn't it? I think it's the figurehead for the Black Pearl but, I'm not sure...
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