Ondines or
undines (( — a wave)
Fr. Mermaid) are
elementalAn elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines, water elementals*sylphs, air elementals*salamanders, fire elementals....
s, enumerated as the water elementals in works of
alchemyAlchemy is both a philosophy and a practice with an aim of achieving ultimate wisdom as well as immortality, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as possessing unusual properties...
by
ParacelsusParacelsus was a Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist...
. They also appear in European folklore as
fairyA fairy is a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.The word fairy derives from the term fae of medieval Western...
-like creatures; the name may be used interchangeably with those of other water spirits. Undines are said to be able to gain a soul by marrying a man and bearing his child. An undine is the heroine of the popular 1812 novella
UndineUndine is a novel by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué concerning Undine, a water spirit who marries a Knight named Huldebrand in order to gain a soul. It is an early German romance, which has been translated into English and other languages...
by German author Baron
Friedrich de la Motte FouquéFriedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron Fouqué was a German writer of the romantic movement.-Biography:He was born at Brandenburg an der Havel, of a family of French Huguenot origin, as evidenced in his family name...
and has since been adapted into various manners, such as ballets and operas. The German folktale of Ondine, a water nymph who curses her unfaithful husband to cease breathing if he should ever fall asleep again, is the basis for "Ondine's Curse," the historical term for Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, in which the afflicted lose
autonomic controlThe autonomic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system functioning largely below the level of consciousness, and controls visceral functions. The ANS affects heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation, perspiration, diameter of the pupils,...
over breathing, placing them at greatest risk when they are asleep.
Characteristics of undines
According to a theory advanced by
ParacelsusParacelsus was a Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist...
, an
Undine is a
water nymphA nymph in Greek mythology is a female spirit typically associated with a particular location or landform. Other nymphs, always in the shape of young nubile maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally Artemis. Nymphs were the frequent target...
or water spirit, the
elementalAn elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines, water elementals*sylphs, air elementals*salamanders, fire elementals....
of
waterWater has been important to all peoples of the earth, and it is rich in spiritual tradition.-Greek and Roman tradition:Water is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science...
. They are usually found in forest pools and waterfalls. They have beautiful voices, which are sometimes heard over the sound of water. According to some legends, undines cannot get a soul unless they marry a man and bear him a child. This aspect has led them to be a popular motif in romantic and tragic literature.
In 18th century Scotland, undines were also referred to as the wraiths of water. Even then, they were not feared as other wraiths.
Sleep of Ondine
In a German tale known as
Sleep of Ondine, Ondine is a
water nymphIn Greek mythology, the Naiads or Naiades were a type of nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and brooks....
. She was very beautiful and, like all
nymphA nymph in Greek mythology is a female spirit typically associated with a particular location or landform. Other nymphs, always in the shape of young nubile maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally Artemis. Nymphs were the frequent target...
s, immortal. However, should she fall in
loveLove is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment. The word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from generic pleasure to intense interpersonal attraction...
with a mortal man and bear his child, she would lose her immortality.
Ondine eventually falls in love with a handsome
knightA knight was a "gentleman soldier" or member of the warrior class of the Middle Ages in Europe. In other Indo-European languages, cognates of cavalier or rider are more prevalent suggesting a connection to the knight's mode of transport...
, Sir Lawrence, and they were married. When they exchange vows, Lawrence vows to forever love and be faithful to her. A year after their
marriageMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
, Ondine gives birth to his child. From that moment on she begins to age. As Ondine’s physical attractiveness diminishes, Lawrence loses interest in his wife.
One afternoon, Ondine is walking near the stables when she hears the familiar snoring of her husband. When she enters the stable, she sees Lawrence lying in the arms of another woman. Ondine points her finger at him, which he feels as if kicked, waking him up with surprise. Ondine curses him, stating, "You swore faithfulness to me with every waking breath, and I accepted your oath. So be it. As long as you are awake, you shall have your breath, but should you ever fall asleep, then that breath will be taken from you and you will die!"
"Ondine's curse"
The tale is the basis for "Ondine's Curse," the historical name for Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS), a serious form of
sleep apneaSleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. Each episode, called an apnea , lasts long enough so that one or more breaths are missed, and such episodes occur repeatedly throughout sleep...
. CCHS causes patients to lose
autonomicThe autonomic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system functioning largely below the level of consciousness, and controls visceral functions. The ANS affects heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation, perspiration, diameter of the pupils,...
control of breathing, resulting in the need to consciously initiate every breath. If untreated, patients with CCHS will die--like Ondine's unfaithful spouse--if they fall asleep and can therefore no longer consciously breathe.
Cultural reproductions
- Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
authors will sometimes employ undines in their fiction, often as elementals rather than another type of water spirit, such as in in China MiévilleChina Tom Miéville is an award-winning English fantastic fiction writer. He is fond of describing his work as "weird fiction" China Tom Miéville is an award-winning English fantastic fiction writer. He is fond of describing his work as "weird fiction" China...
's New CrobuzonNew Crobuzon is a fictional city-state created by China Miéville. It is prominently featured in both Perdido Street Station and Iron Council, and serves as a plot device and background for The Scar...
trilogy.
- In the Mana video game series
Franchise generally means a right or privilege. It may refer to:......*Suffrage, the civil right to vote*Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business, such as:...
, water spirits are typically referred to as "Undines" as is the water-based summoning spirit in the game Tales of Symphoniais a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2 release on September 22,...
.
- Genesis' 1973 song "Firth of Fifth
"Firth of Fifth" is a rock song by progressive rock band Genesis, from their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound. The title is a pun on the estuary of the River Forth in Scotland, commonly known as the Firth of Forth....
" makes reference to "Undinal Songs."
- Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer well known for his left-wing political convictions. He left Germany for Italy in 1953 because of a perceived intolerance towards his politics and homosexuality...
/Frederick AshtonSir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of the Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues...
's ballet UndineUndine is a three-act ballet with music by the German composer Hans Werner Henze. It was adapted from a novella by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué and it tells the tale of a water nymph who is the object of desire of a young prince named Palemon...
about a water nymph, was choreographed for Margot FonteynDame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was a British ballerina of the 20th Century, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
. The ballet and the operas of the same name by Albert LortzingGustav Albert Lortzing was a German composer, actor and singer. He is considered to be the main representative of the German Spieloper, a form similar to the French Opéra comique, which grew out of the Singspiel....
and E. T. A. Hoffmann are independent adaptations of Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué novella.
- One of the sections of Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer of Impressionist music known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
's Gaspard de la nuitGaspard de la nuit: Trois poèmes pour piano d'après Aloysius Bertrand is a piece for solo piano by Maurice Ravel. It has three movements, each based on a poem by Aloysius Bertrand...
is titled "Ondine".
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