One of the most storied areas in the Czech Republic are the Krkonoše Mountains, on the border with Poland. Krkonoš is the Czech name for the famous local mountain spirit, also known by his German moniker Rübezahl... who sometimes takes the form of a giant.

From the stories and legends evolved a unique set of superstitions that existed to give protection to people and the things they held dear. We might scoff at them today, but imagine a time, not so long ago, when life was so hard and tenuous that your very survival might depend on a good harvest or an easy childbirth. It’s easier to understand how these beliefs could become so deep-rooted and firmly held.   

As a Copenhagener and a tour guide, I have often taken visiting friends and tour groups out to the harbour to see the Mermaid, but I am wondering about what they see—is it just a famous statue, like the Statue of Liberty in NYC, that you need to Instagram yourself with, or is there more to the little mermaid? What does she represent for the Danes and for foreigners?