Taking a slightly broader view, I'm reminded of the fairy-tale motif of a
beautiful maiden in the keeping of a witch, from whom she must be taken by her
would-be lover.
From "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil":
"Never mind your mother
in her deep weedy pool: there you'll find no lover!"
My cousin, a man of advanced years who lives in Buckinghamshire, is a collector
of folklore, and one of his works is an illustrated map of the many wells,
pools and springs in Berks and Bucks that have legends associated with them. I
must check my copy when I'm next near it, to see if any River-woman candidates
are
mentioned.
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It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut, they couldn’t hear the barbarians coming.
- Lake Wobegon Days
