Syrenka Echidna

[john]

You always knew that the symbol of Warsaw is the syren. I just discovered it. Could it be linked to Sarmatian-Scythians who married into Polish cavalry families? Greek writers said that Scythians themselves believed that Skythes, king of Scythians, was born from a water-maiden, the snake-woman Echidna of the Dnieper river. Greek "echidna" means "producing. ancestress", and "DNieper, DNiester and DON" are from the Brahmins' "Danu" river-goddess snake. The DANUbe river is also from that origin, and Greeks also wrote of Keltos, king of Celts, being born from the echidna snake-woman, daughter of Brettanos of Gaul.
The Norse grandfather of Odin married Bestla who came from a Jotun Turso sea-monster. Perhaps the syrenka of Warsaw was the mother of Polish Scythians. And possibly she was the mother of German Saxons, who had helmets with a dragon, the White Dragon of England?

[leslie]

John
You will probably know of all the myths surrounding Syrenka. The principal one of her origin that I have heard is the she swam from the Baltic down the Wisla one very cold winter. When she arrived at Warszawa she found the temperature just right for her so she stayed. The townspeople saw her often, fell in love with her and made her their mascot.
The first person to meet her was walking by the river bank, saw in the Wisla what he thought was a damsel in distress, jumped in fully clothed, got hold of her and swam to the bank. When he got her out he realised she was a mermaid and gently put he back in the water. She was so grateful for his concern that his fortunes prospered from that day.
Syrenka is usually depicted with a shield and a sword (what a mermaid would want these for, who knows) - perhaps as a result of one of the other myths. While she was swimming one day she saw a large band of Tartars coming up river, obviously with the intent of sacking Warszawa. She swam quickly to the town and warned the people who then were ready to repulse the invaders. This was when, as saviour of Warszawa, she was depicted on the coat of arms and became the town's heroine.
Some time ago we had a series of postings on the myths from Poland on the forum - if you are interested, perhaps Jaga can point you to these. Poland has such a feast of these stories which interest adults and children alike.
Leslie

[john]

Thanks for your reply. Could the shield and sword connect syrenka with the Scythian legend of echidna, mother of king Skythes? It seems there is an intent to give her a medal in connection with the events of World War II, which again suggests an ancient link with defence. The echidna came from the Borysthenes Dnieper, "borys" meaning "battle glory". DNieper is from "Danu" meaning "bountiful giver", which also suggests the gift of the city.

[Jaga]

Leslie is quite right that our Syrena's origin is not really known that well. I found here a website with some of the legends also related to the name Warszawa = Wars + Sawa

www.260sigsqnsam.abelgratis.co.uk/syrena.htm

The Legend of SYRENA is as mystical as any legend in mythology. Many versions of the legend of the little mermaid appear to exist and there is no way of knowing which version is the correct one.

As far as it can be established SYRENA was the daughter of the powerful King Baltyk who ruled his kingdom from a palace located at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

The upper part of Syrena's body took the form of a human female. The mythical creature had long flowing hair and from the waist down was covered with silvery scales to the tip of her tail. The bottom of the sea was the only world she knew.

One day she narrowly escaped being caught by some fishermen by swimming close to shore. When she raised her head above the surface of the sea, she saw the vista of a strange new world near the mouth the river Wisla, whose waters empty into the Baltic Sea. Syrena curious about her new surroundings began to swim upstream. She saw strange things the likes of which she had never knew before. Trees, hills, flat lands, strange creatures that walked on this land and flew in the sky above her. Finally Syrena came to an area of land known as the plains of Mazowsze deep in the heart of Poland. The people here had cleared the forest, built homes for themselves, and lived from fishing and hunting. Syrena fell in love with the brave Mazovian tribe and decided to stay with them. In the evenings she sang her nostalgic, haunting melodies for them.

One day, a big hunt was held for the Mazovian prince. Chasing a reindeer, the prince got lost in the forest. He also lost his golden arrow with which he was hunting. Searching for it he came to the banks of the Vistula River. There, in amazement, he saw a white arm extending from the water holding his arrow. He became enchanted with Syrena, the beautiful half fish, half woman creature.

She smiled at him and, handing him the arrow, pointed in the direction he was to take. He soon came to a clearing in the forest where stood a small cottage, the home of the fisherman Warsz, his wife, and their twin sons. Mrs. Warszowa gave him a good supper and invited him to stay overnight .

The next morning she refused any payment from him. The prince was moved by their hospitality and their way of life. He vowed he would return with his people which he did and together they cleared more land and built a small settlement which was named "Warszowa," Later it became know as Warszawa, and in 1596 it became the capital of Poland .

[john]

So the syrena was a princess, who held the prince's arrow. That may connect with the echidna who mated with "Hercules" (in the Greek report of the legend) and gave birth to Skythes (and Keltos) who both pulled the archery bow of Hercules, and so became a king. Hercules has been compared with Indra, and with Thor. Odin's grandfather married Bestla, a Jotun Tursos sea-monster , probably from the Baltic. The Vistula runs from near the DNiester which was a Scythian river like DNieper of echidna, and like DANUbe of Celts' echidna. Echidna was killed by an arrow from Apollo, which suggests the arrow of the prince of Warsaw, who "brought his people there". Possibly, echidna is the red dragon on the flag of Wales in UK, where they sing "Land of our Fathers".

[rdywenur]

This sounds to me like King Neptune, ruler of the seas. Some how maybe the tale is told and then absorbed into each culture.

[john]

Echidna had several versions, and in one she is Skylla, like Echidna Delphyne. She was near Mount Etna in Sicily, and captured sailors and ate them. That is similar to Jotun Tursos from *etunnaz "to eat", the sea-monster of Finland-Norway, who produced Odin the poet of logical thinking.
Another link with the prince who ate at Mrs. Warsawa's house is that Hercules was a guest at the house of Brettanos of Gaul, whose daughter was the snake-woman Echidna. "Brettanos" may be in "VergoBRET" the chief druid of Gaul, who judged the Breithanos Law.
Syrenka may then be a warrior with sword, and mother of logic and law, and mother of kings.