Profs and Pints Online presents: “Mermaid Tales,” a discussion of the enigmatic water spirits of Russia, with folklorist Philippa Rappoport of George Washington University.

[This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link given here for tickets and access.]

Be careful out there. According to Slavic folklore, May brings the arrival of Mermaid Week, a period in which mermaids, or rusalki, emerge from lakes and streams to water crops and to claim lives. They're mostly beautiful, with wild hair and blazing eyes, and more than happy to drag smitten young men with them in returning to the depths.

Join Philippa Rappoport, an expert on Slavic folklore and rituals, for an encore of her springtime discussion of Russia's water spirits and the traditions centered around them. She'll describe how rusalki were both revered and feared by people who would sing songs in their honor while carrying protective charms.  You'll learn how Slavic mermaid lore permeated wedding rituals and parades, inspired the construction of effigies, and reflected beliefs about women that, throughout the world, have translated into a lot of concern over how women wear their hair and cover their heads.

Philippa has wowed crowds with fascinating talks on Russia's nature spirits and folktales related to the underworld and the Snow Maiden. Her accounts of mermaids promise to be equally entertaining. Even if you can't catch Coney Island's Mermaid Parade this year, you can still spend time with mermaids in your home.

Profs & Pints Online: Mermaid Tales