Ana

Ana

CLASSIFICATION:

Keshalyi; Fairy

ORIGIN:

Romani (Gypsy)

Ana is the beautiful, kind, generous, benevolent Queen of the Keshalyi. (

SEE ALSO:

Keshalyi.) She lived happily in a fabulous castle in her Transylvanian mountain paradise until the King of Demons fell in love with her. (These aren’t Christian “Demons,” but malevolent spirits called Loçolico in Romani.) She spurned his advances and marriage proposal until the king and his evil horde stormed her palace and began literally devouring her Fairy entourage. To spare the rest, she agreed to be his bride.

A goddess of fertility, Ana is marvelously fertile herself. Unwillingly, she conceived, over and over again. The fruits of her union with the King of Demons are horrific disease spirits. A lengthy horror story/fairy tale cycle recounts each pregnancy, naming the child and the diseases it causes. (Details found in individual entries.)

Utterly horrified and in despair following the births of her ten children, Ana finally convinced the King of Demons to liberate her. In exchange, she agreed that whenever a Keshalyi reaches 999 years of age, she will marry one of his Loçolico. Consumed with remorse and shame, utterly degraded, Ana now hides within her palace, only occasionally venturing out and only in the form of a golden toad. However, if encountered, recognized, and approached with veneration andgentle, good manners, Ana can fulfill any wish. She bestows fertility to even the most infertile and can heal any illness, including those caused by her children.

Realm: Her castle is in the Carpathian Mountains.

SEE ALSO:

Bitoso; Keshalyi; Lilyi; Loçolico; Lolmischo; Melalo; Tçulo The saga of Ana and the King of Demons is the history of the introduction of disease. However, the detailed saga is also used by shamans and Fairy magicians for diagnostic purposes and to affect magical cures via negotiation and control of the spirits.

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.