This is my entry for the Nick Name CONTEST for SSG-community BOT.

The Silver Mermaid

According to a legend, Hephaestus, the greek God of Fire and master craftsman, created in his underground forge the attributes of the gods of Olympus, like the sceptre of Zeus and the trident of Poseidon. Besides that he built automatons made of metal and breathed life into them so that they would work for him. He crafted two special maidservants, one of pure silver and the other of solid gold. It was gratitude that made him give them the shape of Thetis and Eurynome. Two sea nymphs, who after his fall from Olympus had nursed him back to health and had taught him the art of forging. Of all the beauties, they were unparalleled. And that's why Hephaestus kept them hidden.

At first they helped Hephaestus with all his work tacitly. But one day one of them began to ask herself if she was more beautiful than the other and of course that was the beginning of a constant controversy. Hephaestus tried to calm them by telling them they were both as beautiful as the other but he did not succeed. So they argued and ranted on and on, nothing seemed to be more important than the answer to this one question. As they didn’t need any sleep their argument continued day and night, never-ending. The poor blacksmith’s nerves were on edge when he finally decided to melt them down again for the sake of peace and his own divine ease.

Just in that moment real Thetis entered for a visit to pick up the weapons she had ordered for her son Achilles. The silver servant saw the chance to flee her fate and took it by slipping silently into the goddess’s robe and hiding there. Thetis realized her stowaway passenger only when she was home in the sea. She dragged the mechanical figure from her clothes and recognized herself. The silver servant told her what had happened. Thetis smiled and said “It’s the intrinsic value that counts, really. I’ll take you back.” But the silver servant didn’t want to go back to Hephaestus and begged to stay in the ocean. She liked it here and she wanted to be of service to all of those who perceived her true value. Thetis was pleased by the idea and decided to make her a gift: She transformed her into a mermaid, so that she was able to move freely all over the sea. From this time on the silver mermaid ranges through the waters and she only appears to people who are not deluded by outer glow. She swims with minnows, plays with dolphins and rides with whales. Nobody ever managed to catch her. There are many stories, legends and myths about her. But in this ocean, or so they say, there ought to be lucky ones who she visits from time to time...