Editing Mermaid (section)

==== Medieval sirens as mermaids ====

{{multiple image
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 | header= Sirens in ''Physiologus'' and bestiaries

 | image1 = Bern Cod.318, f.013v-de natura serenae et honocentauris.jpg
 | alt1 = Siren and onocentaur, Bern Physiologus
 | caption1 = Siren and [[onocentaur]].{{right|{{small|―''Bern Physiologus''. Berner Burgerbibliothek, Cod. 281, fol. 13v}}{{Refn|name="Bern"}}}}

 | image2 = BL-Add 11283, fo.020v-siren.jpg
 | alt2 = Siren in a Second Family bestiary, Additional manuscript
 | caption2 = Siren in a Second Family bestiary{{right|{{small|―British Library MS Add. 11283, fol. 20v.}}<ref name="BL-Add11283"/>}}

 | image3 = Bodleian-Library-MS-Bodl-764 00070 fol-074v-sirene.jpg
 | alt3 = Sirens swimming, in Bodleian bestiary
 | caption3 = Sirens swimming in sea.{{right|{{small|―Bestiary (Bodl. 764), fol. 74v<br />© Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford}}}}

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The siren's part-fish appearance became increasingly popular during the Middle Ages.<ref name="harrison"/> The traits of the classical sirens, such as using their beautiful song as a lure as told by Homer, have often been transferred to mermaids.{{sfnp|Waugh|1960|pp=78–79}}

This change of the medieval siren from bird to fish were thought by some to be the influence of [[Germanic mythology|Germanic myth]], later expounded in literary legends of [[Lorelei]] and [[Undine]];<ref name="harrison" /> though a dissenting comment is that parallels are not limited to Teutonic culture.{{sfnp|Mustard|1908|p=22}}