Seahorses are a strange creatures. Their heads, up to their necks, resemble that of a horse. This of course influenced their scientific classification name. 🙂

They belong to the genus Hippocampus, a word derived from two Greek words: hippo meaning ‘horse’ and campos as ‘sea monster’.

Seahorses live in seagrasses and corals in the shallow tropical temperate water.

Legend of Seahorse (Alamat Ng Kabayo Kabayohan)

In the Philippines, there is a legend that might explain why these marine creatures look like horses. This legend was adapted from the Outline of Philippine Mythology by F. Landa Jocano

Long ago in the province of Cavite, located in the Southern shores of Manila de Bay, two majestic horses, a stallion and a mare, were enjoying the bright morning sun, occasionally grazing at the verdant grass by the seashore.

These two horses were rather special.  They were  personal ‘pets’ of the sea god, Amanikable.

Anyway, the idyllic time was disturbed by a sudden flurry of activities.

There in the distant was a group of men and their ferociously barking dogs.

This unsettled the horses a great deal as the men and dog are fast heading their way.

The men did not look friendly and the dogs doubled up their frenzied barking.

Both the mare and stallion started galloping but it was too late.  They have been cornered.

The mare looked up to the sky piteously and prayed to Amanikable.  All the while the stallion circling the mare to protect.

“Please great lord of the sea, save us from these beings.  We besiege you to help us. Please not abandon us in our time of need” the mare prayed.

Amanikable heard the lamentable but solemn request of the mare.

He commanded the sea to create the biggest waves, huge enough to swallow the whole shore, including the mare and stallion.

But the horses are unable to swim.  With pity and great care Amanikable turned them into aquatic animals.  Fish but not quite like fish.

Being favoured ‘pets’ of the Amanikable, a crown like spine grew out of their heads.

The grass washed away by the waves into the sea became seaweeds, where the magically created seahorses now live and feed.

This is the legend of the seahorse.