Bloody Little Mermaid

Mother and Calf  (Photo by Clark Anderson) 

Hans Christian Andersen’s little mermaid longed for a human body and soul.  She was willing to sacrifice all that she had in order to pursue such lofty goals.

Blood sacrifice has long been seen as an ultimate path to transcendence.  It is therefore somewhat fitting that this aquatic martyr’s statue has been “doused with red paint.”

Some call it criminal, others call it heroic when icons are defaced for a worthy cause.  Whoever splashed red upon this Copenhagen landmark did so in order to “defend the whales of the Faeroe Islands.”  This probably refers to the deliberate herding of pilot whales “into shallow waters,” where they are then “stabbed to death.”

Although pilot whales are currently thriving in North Atlantic waters, this “late 16^th century” practice seems a particularly cruel way to butcher 800 sensitive, social and intelligent creatures. 

Resources

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/copenhagens-mermaid-statue-doused-paint-47716578 

Copyright May 31, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved