Alright, how about this as a source of the mermaid legend?

Ivan Seeking

Alright, how about this as a source of the mermaid legend?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirenomelia

Looks like a mermaid to me!!!

What brought this story to my attention was a news report [CNN] about the girl in the picture, Milagros Cerron. She had corrective surgery six months ago and started ballet lessons today.
http://www.livinginperu.com/news-366...aby-doing-well

SGT

The most accepted origin of the mith of mermaids is the dugong. The female has two tits located in the same position of a woman breasts and sometimes takes the calf between the fore fins to feed it.

radou

Quote by SGT

The female has two tits located in the same position of a woman breasts

Can they grow huge?

SGT

Quote by radou

Can they grow huge?

No

Because both mother and calf need to come up for air regularly, the mother occasionally rears out of the water, holding the still-suckling calf with her flipper so it can breathe. It is easy to imagine that such a tender scene may have contributed to the mermaid myth.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribb...04/default.htm

kleinjahr

"may have contributed to the mermaid myth"
Throw in old time sailor's isolation from women and prodigious consumption of grog.

kleinjahr	"may have contributed to the mermaid myth" Throw in old time sailor's isolation from women and prodigious consumption of grog.