"She is the desirable young woman who is courted, the ripe woman who enjoyed her feminine powers and generously offered her bounty and the mature woman who met death in the underworld." D. Wolkstein. In Melusine's story, the Duke of Aquitaine named Raymond discovered a maiden in the forest and, mesmerized by her beauty, he begged her to be his wife. She agreed and told him that he must never see her on a Saturday when she was bathing. They lived happily with many children, and the maiden bought wealth to Raymond. Although Raymond agreed initially to their deal, he grew more curious of her strange request and wondered why she was so secretive about bathing. Eventually, he sent spies to watch her while bathing, and they were shocked by what they saw: Melusine was half woman and half snake. Melusine caught the men spying on her and, in a fit of rage, turned herself into a giant snake, leaving her husband to never return. In a story similar to others through the world, a man marries a snake-like creature and benefits from the union before betraying her, leading to a bitter ending. For me, this is a story full of symbolism: snakes are often seen as embodiment of nature, land’s power, and consciousness. The human — often an important figure — represents humanity. So it's a story about how humans can benefit from working with the spirits of nature and the land itself, but we must respect it and always act in a balanced and fair way, never being guided by greed or curiosity. Card: Be mindful of trust and balance in relationships and work.
This card is a tribute to Netizens
