Editing Mermaid (section)

=== Alamoa ===
The Alamoa is a well known legend in the island of [[Fernando de Noronha]], northeast of the Brazilian mainland. An alluring half-naked woman, she who would seduced men by night, and the charmed lovers who followed her end up falling off the island cliff, off Pico hill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://becodenoronha.com.br/blog/alamoa-a-lenda-da-sereia-de-fernando-de-noronha/|title=Beco de Noronha - Fernando de Noronha |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=becodenoronha.com.br |language=pt-br}}</ref><ref name="pessoa&sousa2022"/> Again, modern commentary paints her as a "beautiful white woman ({{lang|pt|linda mulher branca}})",<ref name="pessoa&sousa2022"/> which would be consistent with the name Alamoa being an older form of {{lang|pt|{{linktext|alemão}}}}, which now means "blonde, fair-skinned woman"{{efn|''alemão'' in the first instance means "German woman", but by transferrence, became a "fair blonde".}}{{Refn|One source considers Alamoa to be a corruption of the now standard ''alemão'',<ref name="pessoa&sousa2022"/> but others explain Alamao to be the more antiquated form.<ref name="proenca1969"/>}} whereas older literature describes her as [[fulvous]] or [[tawny (color)|tawny]] ({{lang|pt|{{linktext|fulva}}}}), though dressed in white<!--branco see quote-->, as according to {{illm|Francisco Augusto Pereira da Costa|pt}} (d. 1923).{{Refn|Costa ''Foclore'' (1908) apud Proença<ref name="proenca1969"/>}}{{Refn|Legend in verse, titled:"A Alamôa", narratated by a mother: "{{lang|pt|Não saias, meu filho.. Que podes topar, de noite a «Alamóa» /E' fulva donzella,―é a fada da ilha;... De noute passeia, vestida de branco}}"<ref name="costa1887"/>}} According to one telling, on Friday nights, the rock of Pico splits and emits a light beam, followed by Alamoa's appearance, attracting men; but she will then transform into skull<!--caveira--> and skeleton,{{Refn|The skull imprisons her victim according to modern commentary.<ref name="pessoa&sousa2022"/>}} resulting in disappearances, except cries of terror can be occasionally heard.{{Refn|Story according to the story {{illm|Olavo Dantas|pt}}.<ref name="cascudo1950"/>}} The Alamoa evidently maintains an underwater palace as well.<!--palácio submarino-->{{sfnp|Cascudo|1950|p=292}} These elements (skull, light, palace) are lacking in European (Dutch) lore,{{sfnp|Cascudo|1950|p=292}} though general similarity to Holland's mermaid has been suggested.{{sfnp|Cascudo|1950|p=289}}