Rough Else
The rough Else , Rauh Ells or Rauch Else is a demonic water woman from the medieval epic Wolfdietrich from the 13th century. The description of this mermaid is one of the oldest of its kind.
description
The medieval epic tells of the rough Else, who has a skin made of scales as physical characteristics, as is common in fish. This is overgrown with moss, slimy and wet. In addition, she should have a goatee that extends to her feet and her hair is just as long. Her eyes lie in eye sockets two fingers deep , her forehead measures a cubit , her mouth is wide and set with long teeth.
- The Rauch Else in Wolfdietrich
The figure is mentioned here as a bear-like figure in which Wolfdietrich believes he recognizes Rauch Else. She asks him to make her his wife. When he rejects her, she strips off her covers and turns into a beautiful woman, because he broke the curse on her, as she says. She explains to him that her name is Siegeminne and that she is the Queen of Troy. The appendix to the book of heroes reads: “Wolfdietherich first frawe was called rauch Elss. and thereafter was called Sygemin the most beautiful if all white. ”The rough Else becomes the ruler of the sea wonders and the“ schrawazen ”( Schratt ) living in the country.
See also
literature
- Leander Petzoldt: Else, the rough one. In: Small lexicon of demons and elementals. Beck, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-406-34019-9 . ( online, p. 63. )
- Hélène Adelaine Guerber: Rauch Else. In: Myths and Legends of the Middle Ages. Their Origin and Influence on Literature and Art. GG Harrap, London 1929, OCLC 499966575 , ( online pp. 127f. ).
Web links
- John Arnott MacCulloch: Rough Else. In: Eddic Mythology. on rbedrosian.com (PDF, p. 205.)