Melusine's secret discovered, from Le Roman de Mélusine. One of sixteen paintings by Guillebert de Mets circa 1410. The original is held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Melusine (or Melusina) is a figure of European legends and folklore, a feminine spirit of fresh waters in sacred springs and rivers. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... A legend (Latin, legenda, things to be read) is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. ... Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth, common to a particular population, comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. ...

She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish (much like a mermaid) from the waist down. She is also sometimes illustrated with wings, two tails or both, and sometimes referred to as a nixie. Serpent is a word of Latin origin (serpens, serpentis) which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit term serp, that is normally substituted for snake in a specifically mythic or religious context, in order to distinguish such creatures from the field of biology. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse. ... Strömkarlen from 1884 by Ernst Josephson has formed many modern Swedes view of Näcken. ...

Heraldry

Melusine is sometimes used as a heraldic figure, typically in German and Scandinavian Coats of arms, where she supports one scaly tail in each arm. She may appear crowned. The Coat of Arms of Warsaw features a siren (identified in Polish as a syrenka) very much like a depiction of Melusine, brandishing a sword and shield. She is the water-spirit from the Vistula who identified the proper site for the city to Boreslaus of Masovia in the late 13th century. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... Grand Coat of Arms of Warsaw Coat of Arms of Warsaw The Coat of Arms of Warsaw consists of a syrenka in a red field. ... Odysseus and the Sirens. ... The Vistula (Polish: ) is the longest river in Poland. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

Literary versions

Raymond walks in on his wife, Melusine, in her bath and discovers she has the lower body of a serpent. Illustration from the Jean d'Arras work, Le livre de Mélusine (The Book of Melusine), 1478.

The most famous literary version of Melusine tales, that of Jean d'Arras, compiled about 1382 - 1394 was worked into a collection of "spinning yarns" as told by ladies at their spinning. Download high resolution version (500x692, 135 KB)Jean dArras, This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Download high resolution version (500x692, 135 KB)Jean dArras, This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Jean dArras was a 15th century North French tale-teller (trouvere) of whom all we know is that he collaborated with Antoine du Val and Fouquart de Cambrai in putting together a collection of stories entitled Les Vangiles de Quenouille (The spinners Tales). The frame story is that these... Jean dArras was a 15th century North French tale-teller (trouvere) of whom all we know is that he collaborated with Antoine du Val and Fouquart de Cambrai in putting together a collection of stories entitled Les Vangiles de Quenouille (The spinners Tales). The frame story is that these... Events End of the reign of Emperor Go-Enyu of Japan, fifth and last of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders Emperor Go-Komatsu ascends to the throne of Japan John Wyclifs teachings are condemned by the Synod of London. ... // Events Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, travels with King Richard II of England to Ireland. ...

The tale was translated into German in 1456 by Thüring von Ringoltingen, the version of which became popular as a chapbook. It was later translated into the English language c. 1500, and often printed in both the 15th century and the 16th century. There is also a prose version called the Chronique de la princesse. // Events July 7 - Joan of Arc acquitted (but she had already been executed). ... A modern day chapbook. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

It tells how Elynas, the King of Albany (a poetical euphemism for Scotland) went hunting one day and came across a beautiful lady in the forest. She was Pressyne, mother of Melusine. He persuaded her to marry him but she agreed, only on the promise — for there is often a hard and fatal condition attached to any pairing of fay and mortal — that he must not enter her chamber when she birthed or bathed her children. She gave birth to triplets. When he violated this taboo, Pressyne left the kingdom, together with her three daughters, and traveled to the lost Isle of Avalon. Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots 2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... It has been suggested that Trooping fairies be merged into this article or section. ... Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. ...

The three girls — Melusine, Melior, and Palatyne — grew up in Avalon. On their fifteenth birthday, Melusine, the eldest, asked why they had been taken to Avalon. Upon hearing of their father's broken promise, Melusine sought revenge. She and her sisters captured Elynas and locked him, with his riches, in a mountain. Pressyne became enraged when she learned what the girls had done, and punished them for their disrespect to their father. Melusine was condemned to take the form of a serpent from the waist down every Saturday.

Raymond of Poitou came across Melusine in a forest in France, and proposed marriage. Just as her mother had done, she laid a condition, that he must never enter her chamber on a Saturday. He broke the promise and saw her in the form of a part-woman part-serpent. She forgave him. Only when, during a disagreement with her, he called her a "serpent" in front of his court, did she assume the form of a dragon, provide him with two magic rings and fly off, never to return. Chinese dragon, color engraving on wood, Chinese school, 19th Century The dragon is a mythical creature typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile, with magical or spiritual qualities. ...

In "The Wandering Unicorn" by Manuel Mujica Láinez, Melusine tells her tale of several centuries of existence from her original curse to the time of the crusades.^[1]

Legends

Melusine legends are especially connected with the northern, most Celtic areas of Gaul, and the Low Countries. Sir Walter Scott told a Melusine tale in Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802 -1803) confident that Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ... Portrait of Sir Walter Scott, by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his time. ... --69. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

"the reader will find the fairy of Normandy, or Bretagne, adorned with all the splendour of Eastern description. The fairy Melusina, also, who married Guy de Lusignan, Count of Poictou, under condition that he should never attempt to intrude upon her privacy, was of this latter class. She bore the count many children, and erected for him a magnificent castle by her magical art. Their harmony was uninterrupted until the prying husband broke the conditions of their union, by concealing himself to behold his wife make use of her enchanted bath. Hardly had Melusina discovered the indiscreet intruder, than, transforming herself into a dragon, she departed with a loud yell of lamentation, and was never again visible to mortal eyes ; although, even in the days of Brantome, she was supposed to be the protectress of her descendants, and was heard wailing as she sailed upon the blast round the turrets of the castle of Lusignan the night before it was demolished."

Melusine by Ludwig Michael von Schwanthaler (1845)

When Count Siegfried of the Ardennes bought the feudal rights to Luxembourg in 963, his name became connected with the local version of Melusine. In 1997 Luxembourg issued a postage stamp commemorating this Melusina, with essentially the same magic gifts as the ancestress of the Lusignans. This Melusina magically made the castle of Bock appear the morning after their wedding. On her terms of marriage, she too required one day of absolute privacy each week. Alas, Sigefroid, as the Luxembourgeois call him, "could not resist temptation, and on one of the forbidden days he spied on her in her bath and discovered her to be a mermaid. When he let out a surprised cry, Melusina caught sight of him, and her bath immediately sank into the solid rock, carrying her with it. Melusina surfaces briefly every seven years as a beautiful woman or as a serpent, holding a small golden key in her mouth. Whoever takes the key from her will set her free and may claim her as his bride." [1] Mont Saint-Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... Location Administration Capital Rennes Regional President Jean-Yves Le Drian (PS) (since 2004) Départements Côtes-dArmor Ille-et-Vilaine Morbihan Finistère Arrondissements 15 Cantons 201 Communes 1,268 Statistics Land area1 27,209 km² Population (Ranked 7th)  - January 1, 2005 est. ... Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur (and abbé) de Brantôme (c. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (395x700, 24 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Melusine ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (395x700, 24 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Melusine ... Ludwig Michael von Schwanthaler (1802–1848) was a German sculptor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Events Holy Roman Emperor Otto I defeats Mieszko I of Poland, compels him to pay tribute Luxembourg is founded, and the Belgium area becomes part of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Lusignan family originated in Poitou in western France, and in the late 12th century came to rule the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Cyprus. ...

Martin Luther knew and believed in the story of another version of Melusine, die Melusina zu Lucelberg (Lucelberg in Silesia), whom he referred to several times as a succubus (Works, Erlangen edition, volume 60, pp 37–42). Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote the tale of Die Neue Melusine in 1807 and published it as part of Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre. The playwright Franz Grillparzer brought Goethe's tale to the stage and Felix Mendelssohn provided a concert overture "The Fair Melusina," his Opus 32. Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... Prussian Silesia, 1871, outlined in yellow; Silesia at the close of the Seven Years War in 1763, outlined in cyan (areas now in the Czech Republic were Austrian-ruled at that time) Silesia (Czech: ; German: ; Polish: ; Silesian: Åšlonsk / Åšlónsk) is a historical region in central Europe. ... A bracket carved as a winged succubus on the outside of an English inn, suggesting that a brothel could have been found inside. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Franz Seraphicus Grillparzer (January 15, 1791 - January 21, 1872), Austrian dramatic poet, was born in Vienna. ... Felix Mendelssohn at the age of thirty Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ...

Melusine is one of the pre-Christian water-faeries who were sometimes responsible for changelings. The "Lady of the Lake", who spirited away the infant Lancelot and raised the child, was such a water nymph. For other European water sprites dangerous to humans, especially men, see Lorelei, Nixie. Trolls with the changeling they have raised, John Bauer, 1913. ... The Lady of the Lake taking the infant Lancelot. ... In the Arthurian legend, Sir Lancelot (Lancelot du Lac, or Lancelot of the Lake; also Launcelot) is one of the Knights of the Round Table. ... The Rock of Lorelei by the Rhine Lorelei Lorelei Loreley sign on the bank of the Rhine View of the Rhine as seen by Lorelei The Lorelei (originally written as Loreley) is a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. ... The word nixie has four different meanings, depending on context: The mythical water creature known as the Nix (aka Näcken / Nøkken), appearing in Scandinavian folk tales Another word for Melusine Nixie tubes, a special form of vacuum tubes formerly used as numerical indicators Mail returned as undeliverable or...

"Melusina" would seem to be an uneasy name for a girl-child in these areas of Europe, but Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster, mistress of George I of Great Britain, was christened Melusine in 1667. Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster was born at Emden on the December 25, 1667. ... George I (Georg Ludwig) (28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was Elector of Hanover from 23 January 1698, and King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 1 August 1714, until his death. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ...

Notable usages

A stylized cartoon version of a siren, which is similar to some of the Melusine legends, serves as the mascot that appears in the Starbucks logo to advertise the coffee chain. In fiction, the Melusine legend plays a prominent role in A.S. Byatt's Possession. One of the main characters, Christabel LaMotte, writes an epic poem about Melusina. A cartoon is any of several forms of illustrations, with varied meanings that evolved from one to another. ... A mascot, originally a fetish-like term for any person, animal, or thing supposed to bring luck, is now something—typically an animal or human character—used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team (the name often corresponds with the mascot... Starbucks is the worlds largest multinational chain of coffee shops. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Dame Antonia Susan Byatt, DBE, (born August 24, 1936, Sheffield, England) has been hailed by some as one of the great postmodern novelists in Britain. ...

External links

• Well-translated legends about mermaids and water sprites that marry mortal men, with sources noted, edited by D. L. Ashliman.
• Melusine Images
• Terri Windling, "Married to Magic: Animal Brides and Bridegrooms in Folklore and Fantasy"
• Homeira Foth, "The Melusine Myth": sources, framework, history
• Sir Walter Scott, Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (e-text)
• Huysmans, The Cathedral (e-text)
• Wolfgang Goethe, Die Neue Melusine (in German)
• Archives de littérature du Moyen Âge (Arlima): Bibliographies on Coudrette, Jean d'Arras, and the English Melusine

References

1. ^ Láinez, Manuel Mujica (1983) The Wandering Unicorn Chatto & Windus, London, ISBN 0701126868 ;

• Donald Maddox and Sara Sturm-Maddox, Melusine of Lusignan: foundling fiction in late medieval France. A volume of essays that examine the monumental French prose narrative, the Roman de Melusine (1393), which was written by Jean d'Arras for Jean, Duc de Berry, the great patron of the 'Tres Riches Heures'. The Roman traces the powerful medieval dynasty of Lusignan from its founding in the city by the legendary Melusine, an enigmatic shape-shifting faery figure, through its glorious rise in Europe and in the Crusader kingdoms of the Eastern Mediterranean (see Guy of Lusignan, King of Cyprus), weaving together history and fiction, with elements of myth, folklore, and popular traditions fused with epic, Crusader narrative, knightly romance, and Christian doctrine, all to glorify and uphold the proprietary claims to Lusignan of the work's illustrious patron. Melusine is depicted in the 'Tres Riches Heures', in the month page for March, as a dragon protecting the castle of Lusignan.
• Otto j. Eckert, "Luther and the Reformation," lecture, 1955. e-text
• Proust, Marcel. (C. K. Scott Moncrieff, trans.) Within A Budding Grove. (Page 190)
• The title of Jakob Wassermann's first novel was Melusine. Interestingly, his last name (Wassermann) means "water-man" in German.
• "The Fairy Melusina" an epic poem written by the fictional poet Christabel Lamotte; in the popular novel Possession by A.S. Byatt.