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U is for Ukrainian Mermaids and Undine

April 25, 2016 Claire Annette Noland 10 Comments

U (1)

U is for Ukranian mermaids and Undine  and a giveaway for the A to Z Blog Challenge.

ukrainian mermaid photo

Off the shore of the Crimean Sea town of Miskhot in the Ukraine, there is a exquisite statue of a mermaid holding a baby. As the legend goes, there was a beautiful girl named Arzy who lived in Miskor. On her wedding day, she was kidnapped by Ali-Baba and sold to be part of a Turkish sultan’s harem. Arzy did not want to be held captive in Istanbul so she jumped into the water to escape. She transformed into a mermaid who appeared on the shore of Miskhot with a child.

 

undine drawing
Undines are mythological water nymphs who are said to live in streams, lakes, and rivers in Europe. An Undine has no soul but can become human when she and a man fall in love.  But, she is doomed to die if he becomes unfaithful to her. In one story, Undine discovers her husband in the arms of another woman. Knowing that she will now die, she puts a curse on him that will cause him to die if he falls asleep.

undine

In 1811, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué wrote a novella called Undine in which a water spirit marries a knight  in order to gain a soul. Undine was adapted into an opera by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1814.

Arthur Rackham illustrated the 1909 edition.

rackham_undine_1919_500

There is actually a medical condition known as  Undine’s (or Ondine’s) curse in which the sufferer is unable to breathe while sleeping and as a result, suffers from cardiac arrest.

 

Undine was a female superhero who appeared in DC Comics for a short while as one of the Elementals.

Undine_1

Undine was in actuality a famous writer named Crystal Marrs who happened to be a good friend of Bruce Wayne. She was kidnapped by Sandor Fane (AKA the evil Overlord.) The Overlord summoned the spirit of an Undine and transferred it into Crystal’s body giving her the super power of control over water. The Overlord tricked her into attacking Aquaman, but when she realized that Aquaman was not a villain, she became his ally.

Undine comic

Unfortunately, Undine and the other Elementals were only featured in four issues of DC Comics in 1978.

Have you ever read any of the DC Comics featuring Undine and the other Elementals?

 

Filed Under: Blogging A to Z, Books, Mermaids, Places Tagged With: Ukrainian mermaid, Undine, Undine Superhero DC Comics

Previous Post: « T is for Thailand’s Many Mermaids
Next Post: V i for Virginia »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. KristinKingAuthor says

    April 25, 2016 at 7:55 am

    Actually I think I did see one of those issues. My brother used to read comics and I would borrow the more interesting ones. Excellent series–again thanks for the research and inspiring mythology.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 26, 2016 at 4:37 pm

      I would love to get one of these comics featuring Undine.

      Reply
  2. JazzFeathers says

    April 25, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Great post. I particulalry like the legend of Undine. That makes for a good (if tragic) story.

    @JazzFeathers
    The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 26, 2016 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks – many of these mermaid legends are tragic. I guess that’s what happens when one is part human and part fish!

      Reply
  3. evelyne holingue says

    April 25, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    Oh this post resonates with me. First because for once this is a country where I have been. Then I’m familar with “ondines” the French version of “Undines.” In fact my dad had a book he received when he was a child and passed to me, which is the French version of the book you showcase in your post. My dad got it as an academic prize when he was himself a little school boy.
    You are doing a fabulous job with this challenge, Claire ,and you must be quite relieved to be almost at the end of the trail. Although, it’s a weird feeling to wake up on the first day of May and realize that this challenge that seemed endless is over. Best to you for the last five letters.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 26, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      I am sure you treasure your copy of Undine, Evelyne. What a great gift your father passed on to you. Thank you for your kind words. I can’t believe how much mermaid lore is out there.
      Yes – it will be strange on May 1st but I’ll need to catch up on all the things I’ve neglected this month.

      Reply
  4. Trine Grillo says

    April 26, 2016 at 2:26 am

    The Ukrainian statue really is fascinating!

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      April 26, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      It was extra interesting reading about this area because of the situation between the Ukraine and Russia.

      Reply
  5. tracey robinson says

    April 26, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    What a great theme! I never knew mermaids were so varied and interesting. A fellow A to Zer just stopping by.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      May 8, 2016 at 10:03 pm

      Hi Tracey – Thanks for stopping by! I learned a lot about mermaids during the a to z challenge. I actually gathered far more information than I could use.

      Reply

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Hello. I’m Claire Annette - reader, writer, teacher, and field trip planner extraordinaire. Here at A Field Trip Life you will find ideas for adventures large and small and the kids’ books that inspire them. Sign your permission slip. Let's go!

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