Irish sailors didn't see beautiful maidens with tails of fish, instead they saw seals who turned into maidens.  These selkies were the basis of many Irish legends.  The seals were sometimes thought to be born as humans, sometimes thought to be children of the sea king.  Whatever their source, the selkie is now entrenched in Irish mythology.  My selkie is a dark gray velvet seal who turns over to reveal the young girl sitting on a rock.  It follows the legend which says the seals would shed their skins to become human.  As with all of my dolls, this is my own copyrighted pattern.  The Selkie comes with her story in a small, handmade book.