Nix

[Zarasis]

Nixies are water spirits which are described in the mythologies of many European countries. The male nixies are known as Aquariuses, Niss, Neck or Nöck. The Greeks call them naiads.

The term nix comes from Old High German nihhus, niccus or nichessa what means so much like water spirit. Another possible derivation is traced back to the Latin term necare (=killing).

As the earliest representation of nixies the description of sirens in Homer's "Odyssey" is known. By the order of the goddess Hera they should keep Odysseus and his companions off from homecoming to Ithaka by their singing.

Older traditions describe nixies as wonderful, young women with pale, partially greenish skin and green gleaming hair. People can identify nixies on different signs, above all they are always walking barefoot and their seam is always wet and drips. Newer sources describe nixies as chimaeras with a human upper body and a scale-overcasted fishtail.

What makes a difference between nixies and other water spirits is that they always represent death and downfall. Completely in contrast to water women, who represent motherliness and love and have a very positive attitude to humans, nixies bring danger, damage and death to the people. Mostly they seduce men and take them at the ground of the waters in which they live. In some cases nixies also warn about dangers – this, however, in vain. Furthermore the nixies are to be separated from other mermaids who are characterised by the fact that they must be released from their destiny by the love of a human.