The breaking waves glow white in the moonlight as you walk along the beach. Suddenly you hear a voice singing a song. It's as sweet a sound as you have ever heard. You see a strange creature - half woman and half fish - sitting on a rock in the water. She is beautiful, and her voice enchants you. Without thinking, you follow the mermaid's song farther and farther into the dark, cold sea . . . From ancient myths to authors such as Hans Christian Anderson to modern movies, people throughout time have told tales of mermaids and mermen. These magical creatures of the sea are said to tempt sailors to follow them into the ocean, but the sailors drown in the chase. In other stories, humans capture merfolk and force them to live on land, or merfolk take human visitors to their amazing underwater cities. Learn more about these fantastical beings who have captivated us since ancient times.