Undine

Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque. Complete Illustrated novel. "Undine" is a marvelous and compelling read. The story exposes the darkness and the beauty of human nature. I highly recommend this book for any person of any age.

This is the original fairy tale Noir, which inspired all the rest: ballet, opera, Giroudoux' ONDINE and Osborne's HAUNTED WATERS. This novella examines the spiritual question of the Soul--that elusive qualify in which mankind trusts. Can it be other than God-given? Can it be acquired through marriage or noble deeds, bartered or even sold outright? Does the possession of a soul make one's life easier or more difficult, one's moral decisions clearer or more complex? For humankind, a soul can prove a mixed blessing. But what would it do for supernatural being? This 175-year old fairy tale from the enchanted forests of Germany is intensely poetic and romantic in style, yet it echoes medieval sagas of doomed emotional quests. The ageless theme warns of the danger resulting from the unnatural union between mortal and immortal. Despite the depth of their love such pairings of dissimilar species usually result in great pain and ultimate tragedy--placing the mortal's soul in real peril. This short tale is further condensed by the skillful translator, yet it retains the flavor of the dark, mysterious original. Fouque's sylvan setting and watery undulations surprise readers at every turn: flood, stream, fountain, ocean, and lake all seek to reclaim the escaped water sprite who would defy the essence of her being to dare live as a woman. Does an evil demon stalk Undine and her cavalier? Is his supernatural presence trying to protect her or reclaim her from the solid world? To which world would she rather belong--or does the poor maiden even have a choice at all? Like the little mermaid in the Hans Christian Andersen original Undine endures great suffering in exchange for the gift of a human soul. The plot flows along swiftly and relentlesly to its disastrous conclusion; for none in the lover's triangle triumphs in the end. The water sprites merely mock the futility of bonding with humans, while our hearts bleed for the heroine as evanescent as a rainbow in the mist.

Undine indeed is the epitome of a fairy tale. It is the story of Undine, a water nymph, who receives a soul when she marries a mortal. It is a beautiful story exposing the darkness and beauty of human nature. It is one of my favourite books of all time, and I've read it many times over the years. It is one that I will always keep on my bookshelf and will share with my children and grandchildren for years to come. I highly recommend Undine for any person of any age.