You won't believe what I caught when I went fishing yesterday!

I'm hanging out with my pole daydreaming my life away, content with the beauty of nature and the crystal clear waters of the pond in the Kanawha State Forest. I felt a tiny tug on my line and focused my attention on the unusual splashing in the water in front of me. I reeled in the line even though it didn't feel like anything was on the line - but there was something there.

It was a tiny, little mermaid! My eyes about popped out of my head because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. She was holding my hook with one hand, sitting in it like a swing and waving excitedly like she wanted to get my attention with her other hand.

Well, she certainly did!

She was quite pretty. Her tail had a purplish, irridescent tint to it. She was only about 2 inches tall with her wet, flowing, long, blonde hair curling around her tiny, perfect body. She was laughing a tiny tinkle of a giggle as she rode the hook up while I reeled it to my pole.

I was speechless and she looked as if she expected me to be. She couldn't contain her amusement at my bemusement as I carefully took her in the palm of my hand.

"So, we finally meet," she said to me. "I've been watching you for awhile now. You seem so lonely, yet I can tell you really enjoy coming to my little neck of the forest. I'm curious to know what it is you find here. Most people are bored out of their minds, you know."

I smiled at her and I giggled. I told her, "I guess I have been looking for you. I have always felt that I was going to discover a new creature and here you are."

"Creature!" She exclaimed. "I'm hardly a creature, but I don't take offense. I know you are a little in shock right now."

"That's an understatement." I told her. "I can't believe that you are here. I have only heard of mermaids in oceans, and their not real - never in a tiny pond in West Virginia."

"Oh, those would be my cousins. And they are so, so real. We are really careful who we reveal ourselves to. Have to be, you know. You never know what people will do when they meet one of us."

"Well, I'm very glad to meet you. Nobody is going to believe this."

"I know they won't," she said. "That's alright. I have wanted to talk with you for the longest time and I thought when I saw you today. Today's the day, and here I am."

"Do you live here?" I asked. "Are there more of you? I can think of a thousand things to ask right now."

"Actually I live a little ways up that creek over there. You know the one. You go there when you don't want any body to bother you. Last week I watched you as you followed the periwinkle butterfly right to my spot. Remember the splashing you saw?"

"Oh yes, I knew there was something special about that butterfly. I tried to figure out what was causing the splashing too. I saw minnows but that was all."

"The minnows are my tiny sisters and brothers. We start out as minnows and when we get a little older we turn into minnows and mannows. Those are our proper names. Mermaids are just what you people call us."

"Mannows? What's a mannow?" I asked.

"Ha ha, it's a boy mermaid. You didn't think we were ALL girls did you?"

"Well, I really haven't had time to think about it too much yet. I guess there would be boy mermaids or mannows though. It makes perfect sense afterall. Can I meet a mannow?" I asked her.

"I doubt it. You know how mannows can be. They are not so friendly as I and much more secretive."

She told me all about her life in the creek and how she and the other minnows and mannows survive. There was much too much to relate in this one little blog. She did promise to come back to see me again. I hope she keeps her promise. But if not it was an experience I will NEVER forget.