--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dylan - \"A mermaid found a swimming lad…" description: "\"“Dylan - \"A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her own Presses her body to his body Laughed; and plunging down, Forgot in cruel happiness That..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg" --- # Dylan - "A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her… ![“Dylan - "A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her own Presses her body to his body Laughed; and plunging down, Forgot in cruel happiness That even lovers drown." Jess - "I thought mermaids were supposed to SAVE men." Dylan - "They are, but sometimes a guy doesn't mind drowning.” quote by Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg) > ““Dylan - "A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her own Presses her body to his body Laughed; and plunging down, Forgot in cruel happiness That even lovers drown." Jess - "I thought mermaids were supposed to SAVE men." Dylan - "They are, but sometimes a guy doesn't mind drowning.”” [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts mythic expectations of mermaids as saviors with the reality that love can be overwhelming and destructive. **In simple terms:** Love can be both rescuing and drowning. Key Takeaway Recognize when love becomes harmful. Themes love myth danger expectation vulnerability Mood reflective cautionary poetic Type lyric dialogue conversational When to use this quote - relationships - personal boundaries - emotional health - creative writing Key Concepts romantic idealism dangerous intimacy mythic symbolism Questions to Reflect On - Do you accept love that harms? - How do you balance rescue and autonomy? A Different Perspective Not all love is protective; sometimes it leads to self-destruction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Mermaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mermaid/) [Mermaids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mermaids/) ## Related quotes > [She's not dead. You didn't kill her, nor did the hunger birds, although they did their best to get to you through her. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-s-not-dead-you-didn-t-kill-her-nor-did-the-hunger-birds-although/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [This is my favorite picture that I drew When I was young,I thought mermaids was real,but they actually weren't. I miss my old memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-my-favorite-picture-that-i-drew-when-i-was-young-i-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even if they are fictional, I always thought that mermaids were beautiful creatures. Of course, they don’t compare to you, but still…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniele-lanzarotta/even-if-they-are-fictional-i-always-thought-that-mermaids-were/) [Daniele Lanzarotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniele-lanzarotta/) > [For a time, I believed not in God nor Santa Claus, but in mermaids. They seemed as logical and possible to me as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/for-a-time-i-believed-not-in-god-nor-santa-claus-but-in-mermaids-they/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Are you going to distract me by playing footsie?" "Absolutely, princess," he says with a wink. "Then I won't remember a thing." "It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/are-you-going-to-distract-me-by-playing-footsie-absolutely-princess/) [Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/) > [I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-heard-the-mermaids-singing-each-to-each-i-do-not-think-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No I am not Prince Hamlet nor was meant to be Am an attendant lord one that will do To swell a progress start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/no-i-am-not-prince-hamlet-nor-was-meant-to-be-am-an-attendant-lord/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Aye, tough mermaids are, the lot of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blackbeard/aye-tough-mermaids-are-the-lot-of-them/) [Blackbeard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blackbeard/) > [I think every little girl is fascinated with mermaids whether you are familiar with 'Splash' or 'Little Mermaid' or things like that. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo/i-think-every-little-girl-is-fascinated-with-mermaids-whether-you-are/) [JoJo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo/) > [“And strange were the tales of the pond in the meadow, And eager we listened with eyes opened wide To Those tales often told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-withers/and-strange-were-the-tales-of-the-pond-in-the-meadow-and-eager-we/) J.R. Withers > [“...either I’m losing my mind, or I saw mermaids." --Alec Costner, The Mermaid Coast”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-woolcott/either-i-m-losing-my-mind-or-i-saw-mermaids-alec-costner-the-mermaid/) Robert Woolcott > [Oh love, rose made wet by mermaids and foams, fire that dances and climbs up the invisible stairs and awakens the blood in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/oh-love-rose-made-wet-by-mermaids-and-foams-fire-that-dances-and/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [“You'll do fine." "What, you're psychic now?" "Didn't you know?" he asks seriously. "Must be an aftereffect of the bond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/you-ll-do-fine-what-you-re-psychic-now-didn-t-you-know-he-asks/) [Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/) > [The other day when we were reading The Little Mermaid again, at the part where it says that only human souls can go up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ekaterina-gordeeva/the-other-day-when-we-were-reading-the-little-mermaid-again-at-the/) [Ekaterina Gordeeva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ekaterina-gordeeva/) > [Old ladies in wheelchairs with blankets over their legs, I don't think so...retired mermaids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-jones/old-ladies-in-wheelchairs-with-blankets-over-their-legs-i-don-t-think/) [Milton Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-jones/) ## More by Carolee Dean > [“Let me love you, girl who came from the sea. Let us swim to the bottom of the ocean where we can be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/let-me-love-you-girl-who-came-from-the-sea-let-us-swim-to-the-bottom/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“A man's beliefs are his destiny. As soon as my father believed his life was over, it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/a-man-s-beliefs-are-his-destiny-as-soon-as-my-father-believed-his/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“As long as you're breathing, there's still hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/as-long-as-you-re-breathing-there-s-still-hope/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“We are all rotting, making our way from womb to tomb, to the rhythm of the great clock counting downward to the grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/we-are-all-rotting-making-our-way-from-womb-to-tomb-to-the-rhythm-of/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“Is she worth all that pain?” he asked me, smiling. “Definitely,” I said, still reeling from the events of the day. “But I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/is-she-worth-all-that-pain-he-asked-me-smiling-definitely-i-said/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“I used to think that words and music could change the world, but look at the people who have made it. You see their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-used-to-think-that-words-and-music-could-change-the-world-but-look/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“Are you a virgin?” I asked, “A virgin who’s gonna tear out my heart?” “Yes … no … wait.” She looked at me. “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/are-you-a-virgin-i-asked-a-virgin-who-s-gonna-tear-out-my-heart-yes/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“Blood never forgets. It has a memory of an ancient path toward home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/blood-never-forgets-it-has-a-memory-of-an-ancient-path-toward-home/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“I hear my father's voice faintly, over the telephone, answering for me in a soft drawl. "He's my son." He reaches out his hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-hear-my-father-s-voice-faintly-over-the-telephone-answering-for-me/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“It brings back a long-forgotten memory of Christmas, the year I turned six. I was supposed to be in bed, but I was up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-brings-back-a-long-forgotten-memory-of-christmas-the-year-i-turned/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“How badly i needed to see what was in my head o the page. even if i could barely read it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/how-badly-i-needed-to-see-what-was-in-my-head-o-the-page-even-if-i/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“It was then that i understood what i had to do. i had to find a way to warn you. They have built a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-was-then-that-i-understood-what-i-had-to-do-i-had-to-find-a-way-to/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“The mind can only remember what it's willing to remember - because if you are guilty, then the truth is not the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/the-mind-can-only-remember-what-it-s-willing-to-remember-because-if/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“But thinkin’ you owe people is dangerous business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/but-thinkin-you-owe-people-is-dangerous-business/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) > [“Where we goin’?” Wade whispers to me as we approach the white picket fence that surrounds the row of wooden crosses. For all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/where-we-goin-wade-whispers-to-me-as-we-approach-the-white-picket/) [Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) [Explore all 69 Carolee Dean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Dylan - \"A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her own Presses her body to his body Laughed; and plunging down, Forgot in cruel happiness That even lovers drown.\" Jess - \"I thought mermaids were supposed to SAVE men.\" Dylan - \"They are, but sometimes a guy doesn't mind drowning.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carolee Dean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-picked-him-for-her-own-presses/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-picked-him-for-her-own-presses/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/carolee-dean-9964_happiness_dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-pic_2471338.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Dylan - \"A mermaid found a swimming lad Picked him for her own Presses her body to his body Laughed; and…” — Carolee Dean", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Carolee Dean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Dylan - \"A mermaid found a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-picked-him-for-her-own-presses/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/dylan-a-mermaid-found-a-swimming-lad-picked-him-for-her-own-presses/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```