10-12-2025, 02:08 PM
Regardless of texts and illustrations, there were countless variants of nymphs in (oral) folklore: fairies, spirits of the water and air...
Slavic vilas seem to be a better match to VMS nymphs than the French fairies (fées), normal-sized women magicians (such as la fée Morgane = Morgane le fay in the Arthurian legend); the English fairies, small and winged; the Germanic walkyries.
Quote:There are three kinds, those living on land and in forests (Serbo-Croatian: zagorkinje, pozemne vile), water nymphs (Serbo-Croatian: brodarice, povodne vile), and cloud or air nymphs (Serbo-Croatian: vile oblakinje, zračne vile).You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
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Meyer's Konversationslexikon defines Wiles or Wilis as female vampires, the spirits of betrothed girls who die before their wedding night. According to Heine, wilis are unable to rest in their graves because they could not satisfy their passion for dancing naked, especially in town squares. They also gather on the highway at midnight to lure young men and dance them to their death. In Serbia, they were maidens cursed by God; in Bulgaria, they were known as samodiva, girls who died before they were baptized; and in Poland, they are beautiful young girls floating in the air atoning for frivolous past lives. In some tales, the reason for abandoning their loves is tragic; the Vila are cursed never to find their true love, and if they do, that love will die a terrible death.
Slavic vilas seem to be a better match to VMS nymphs than the French fairies (fées), normal-sized women magicians (such as la fée Morgane = Morgane le fay in the Arthurian legend); the English fairies, small and winged; the Germanic walkyries.
![[Image: CPS_W.73.1V_Fp_DD.jpg]](https://art.thewalters.org/images/art/CPS_W.73.1V_Fp_DD.jpg)
