Chilean legends: La Pincoya
She appears as a young and very beautiful woman with long blond hair. Unlike the Chilote mermaid (who has a fish tail), she has a completely human appearance. Legend has it that she appears from the depths of the sea, half-dressed in a seaweed costume, to dance on the beaches, and that, through the direction of her dance, she signals whether fishing will be plentiful or scarce in the coming season. When she performs her dance facing out to sea, it means that fish and shellfish will be abundant. On the other hand, if she performs it with her face toward the beach, it indicates that fish and shellfish will be scarce. If the shortage persists due to the absence of the Pincoya, it is possible to bring her back through a magical ceremony involving witches or machis. When islanders are shipwrecked, the Pincoya comes to their aid. Sometimes fishermen see her among the rocks combing her long, reddish or blond hair. Her companion, like a brother or husband, is the Pincoy. The Pincoya...