Meduza (Russian folklore)

Meduza (Russian: Медуза), Meluza (Russian: Мелуза, literally «small», «little») or Meluzina (Russian: Мелузина) is a mythical creature in Russian folklore. She was depicted in a Russian lubok of the 17th or 18th century. She is described as half-woman, half-snake, or as the half-woman, half-fish creature.^[1][2] She is also said to be the deity of deception.^[3]

Meduza. Russian lubok. 17th–18th century.

Appearance

She is represented as a sea monster with the head of a beautiful dark-haired maiden, having the body and belly of a striped beast, a dragon tail with a snake's mouth at the end, and legs resembling those of an elephant with the same snake mouths at the end. She also wears a crown.

According to belief, her snake mouths contained a deadly dragon poison. She was said to live in the Sea near the Ethiopian abyss, or in the Western Ocean.^[1][4]

See also

• Medusa
• Melusine