Alraune
Ringkasan
Alraune adalah akar mandragora berwujud manusia dalam kepercayaan Jerman, yang dianggap memegang nasib manusia dan, bila dirawat dengan baik, meramalkan masa depan.
The alraune is a human-shaped mandrake root in German belief, thought to hold people's fate in its power and, if well cared for, to foretell the future.
Kisah dan tradisi
Alraune (kata Jerman untuk mandragora) adalah makhluk legenda yang konon dimiliki bangsa Jermanik kuno: akar mandragora yang menggenggam nasib manusia. Menurut legenda, pemiliknya harus memberinya pakaian rapi, membaringkannya dalam peti kecil, memandikannya setiap pekan dengan anggur dan air, serta memberinya makan dan minum setiap kali bersantap; bila tidak, alih-alih meramalkan masa depan, ia menjerit seperti bayi kelaparan. Kisah ini berakar pada Abad Pertengahan Jerman. Para alkemis percaya akar mandragora yang samar-samar berwujud manusia tumbuh dari sperma orang yang digantung, sehingga akar itu sering dicari di bawah tiang gantungan. Hanya akar berwujud tubuh manusia yang dianggap bertuah; akar ini dipakai dalam ramuan cinta, dan buahnya diyakini membantu kehamilan. Mencabutnya memerlukan persiapan: tanah di sekitarnya digali, tiga lingkaran sihir digambar dengan pedang, lalu seekor anjing hitam yang diikat pada tanaman itu menariknya keluar. Akar yang tercabut diyakini menjerit dengan suara manusia yang membunuh siapa pun yang mendengarnya, sehingga anjing itulah yang mati. Akar itu juga dikatakan mengangguk bila jawaban atas suatu pertanyaan adalah "ya".
Alraune (German for mandrake) is a legendary being said to have been kept by the ancient Germanic peoples: a mandrake root holding human fate. Legend says its owner had to dress it neatly, lay it in a small box, bathe it weekly in wine and water and feed it at every meal; otherwise, instead of foretelling the future, it would scream like a starving infant. The tale goes back to the German Middle Ages. Alchemists believed the vaguely human-shaped mandrake root grew from the semen of hanged men, so it was often sought beneath the gallows. Only roots shaped like a human body were thought to have power; the root went into love potions, and its fruit was believed to aid conception. Pulling one up took preparation: the soil around it was dug away, three magic circles were drawn with a sword, and a black dog tied to the plant dragged it out. The uprooted root was believed to scream with a human voice that killed whoever heard it, so the dog was the one to die. The root was also said to nod when the answer to a question was 'yes'.
Fakta utama
- Budaya / Culture
- Tradisi Jerman
- Kawasan / Region
- Eropa
- Klasifikasi / Classification
- Legendary Creature
- Habitat
- Dwelling
- Kemampuan / Abilities
- Meramal, Jeritan maut
Nama lain / Alternate names
Alrune, Альрауна
Tahukah kamu? / Did you know?
Alraune yang tidak dimandikan dan diberi makan konon berhenti meramal dan malah menjerit seperti bayi kelaparan.
An alraune that was not bathed and fed was said to stop prophesying and scream like a hungry baby instead.