Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Undine Returns to Sea


Undine
by Micha F. Lindemans
In Teutonic folklore, undines are female water-spirits who like to associate with humans. They often join villagers in their dances and merry-making. An undine was created without a soul, but by marrying a mortal and bearing him a child she obtained a soul and with it all the pains and penalties of the human race.

She is the subject of the tale Undine (1811) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. The word was invented by the medieval scholar Paracelsus.
Article details:

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

the story of the undines is enchanting (reminding me, yuck, of the little mermaid !!)

though i am of fire, i often feel as though i as a spirit of water - the sea lady i say. with the shifting of the moon, so go my emotions --- at times i am becalmed, placid even, reflecting the oranges, golds, purples greys of that setting sunned sky .....other times i feel the pull of Selene and my waves begin to build little by little until they are pounding the lighthouse's rocks, scourging the beachheads .....full of dangerous undertows and riptides, currents too deep to fathom.

I love this image, btw. of the undine. I rather like the thought of being one. Slipping in and out of civilization, rejoining my elemental self..

tell me princess, what made you think today of undines ??

xxx
red

Indeterminacy said...

Ahh! That explains Undine! Now I know. And me in Germany all this time. ;-)

Just wanted to thank you for all your comments in the last weeks, and let you know I posted a story to photo 412, and to 408, and that my blogging posting rate can only get faster.

VW said...

Just lovely.

Livia Gnos said...

Dear Princess

Happy to find you again...
Do you know Ingeborg Bachmann's Undine?

Bobby D. said...

I have mermaid story for you Princess-- I will e mail it later.

Diane Dehler said...

no Liva- Is it on youtube?

I have been thinking about Undines, lately RDG because I love the ocean.

Unknown said...

I do so love the stories that come to us from myth and legend. This one is not one I've heard before and it's lovely.

Beautiful and evocative piece of music to go with the post too.

Livia Gnos said...

Princess - check here:
http://poetryjunction.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=Tribute&action=print&thread=1172025710
it'a short story by Ingeborg Bachmann, an authour you might like...
read you soon, and thank you for this beautyful image, I have sent it to my sister...

Diane Dehler said...

Thanks Livia. I'll read it tonight. Very sweet of you to find me this link. :)

here today, gone tomorrow said...

My blogger avatar is Yeimaya, an African goddess of the sea. Thank you for the story of the undines. And that video makes me wish I still played my flute! All lovely. Thank you.

lotusgreen said...

http://lotusgreenfotos.blogspot.com/2007/02/ondine.html