Basic Information
Type/Species: Great Serpent
Origin: Christian Legend from France
About Melusine
The Count of Anjou was lonely, as he was not married and had no one to care for him. Much to the people's surprise, one day he brought home Melusine, a beautiful woman of wonderful mannerism. They married, and they were happy. [1]
Melusine was the most wonderful countess anyone could ask for. She was kind, noble, beautiful, a good mother, and good-willed. However, people began to ask questions about her. No one knew her background nor who she was. [1]
She was also terrible attendant of Church. This made people very nervous. She seldom attended mass and, when she did, she always seemed to disappear before the Eucharist was consecrated. Upon hearing this, the Count ordered his guards to make sure she stayed. [1]
So, it happened. One Sunday when Melusine was at Church, she attempted to excuse herself before the Eucharist was prepared. The guards stopped her, and, as the Priest finished the preparation of the Eucharist, she shrieked. She turned into a dragon and took two of her children with her, away. [1]
It is said that her children went on as Royalty in Europe. It was also written that when anyone relating to her dies, she hovers over Melusine's Tower, near the Castle of Lusignan. [1]
The alternative story came about a few hundred years after the one above, perhaps because no royal family member wished to be known as a relative to a dragon. [1]
Melusine had a horrible, horrible father who mistreated his entire family. She locked him up in some type of Mound of Earth within the North Sea. The Queen of the Faeries looked down upon this, as children were not the ones to punish their parents. [1]
Therefore, the Queen of the Faeries punished her. She cursed Melusine by making her change, from the waist down, into a dragon every Saturday. The only way to rid herself of this impediment was to take a magical bath every Saturday. This spell could only be broken if she could find a husband who was willing to not see his wife on a Saturday. [1]
Melusine did find herself a husband, and he did agree to not see her on Saturday. However, as time when on he wondered what his wife was doing, locked in the tower all day. So, he peaked in and saw her half-dragon, half-human body. [1]
With a shriek, Melusine turned into a dragon and flew out the window. She remained a dragon forever. [1]
Physical Description
Melusine was a beautiful woman. In the first story, she was probably of western-serpentine style. In the second she is often depicted as half-sea serpent. [1]
Footnotes
For more information on footnotes and references, please see the bibliography.
