A folkloric matriarch who begat dynasties
Melusine is a water spirit, who is depicted as a beautiful woman from the waist up, and a serpent or fish from the waist down, much like a mermaid. In fact, her visage is readily recognizable to most modern people as the logo of the world famous coffee outlet: Starbucks.
Melusine’s legend was most prevalent in the modern day Low Countries, France and England. Some stories in Britain claim she was the daughter of King Elinas of Albay, modern day Scotland, and his fairy queen, Pressyne. This story gives rise to the popular trope regarding Melusine: never witness her in the bath. Pressyne forbids King Elinas from viewing her and her daughter in the bath, but curiosity got the best of the king, who spied upon his wife and daughter. Upon doing so, he witnessed their true form, their bottom halves becoming serpentine. The King’s broken vow prompts Pressyne and Melusine to flee and seek refuge in Avalon.
When Melusine is of age, she asks her mother why they are exiled in Avalon. Upon hearing what her father did, she is enraged and vows revenge against Elinas. She seeks out her father and locks him and his treasure in a mountain. When Pressyne finds out what Melusine has done, she curses Melusine to have the form of a snake from the waist down once a week when she bathes.
