Rose, Queen Mother

Credit: Daniel Goulding

In the enchanting heart of a sacred realm, there exists a fairy unlike any other—Rose, the revered Queen Mother of all fairies! She graces the rocky plateau adjoining Treasure Mountain and the timeless Valley of the Seven Lakes alongside her fellow fairies. Together, they safeguard an ancient secret that could aid Anabell and Tarragon in their quest to re-enchant the Kingdom of the Lake at the End of the World, where clouds are born.

In Slovenia, Vile (fairies) have been known by various names, reflecting the rich folklore tradition across the country. They are called Bele Žene (White Ladies), Žalik Žene (Blessed Ladies), Triglavske Žene (Triglav Ladies), Bozje Deklice (Gods’ Handmaidens), and Častitljive Žene (Venerable Women), among others¹. They are easily recognised by their short white gowns, long hair braided into plaits, and woven flower garlands worn on their heads². Perhaps most striking is their bright hair, a luminous blend of yellow and white³.

They are intrinsically linked to their landscape. Flowers, such as the Edelweiss, bloom from the tears of fairies who have fallen on rocky slopes⁴. Meanwhile, the morning frost that covers meadows is said to be formed from the jewels lost from the gowns of fairies at dawn, returning home after their nightly escapades⁵.

Interestingly, all the fairies of Slovenia share a common origin as water fairies. Slovenian folklorist Jakob Kelemina explains that their lineage can be traced back to the Great Mother, known as Baba, Zlata Baba, or Pehtra Baba⁶. In my fairy tale "Anabell," the fairies who inhabit the Rocky Plateau and the Valley of the Seven Lakes are proud descendants of the noble water fairy race.

Although it is widely believed that these fairies left the region over a thousand years ago, the two photos on the right provide compelling evidence that not all have departed⁷.

The name Rose is borrowed from "Roža Magota," an omnipotent flower esteemed in Slovene folklore. It is said to hold the key to unlocking the treasures of Mount Bogatin and is thought to embody the Philosopher's Stone—capable of transforming dust into gold and granting centuries of life⁸. While many claim that the "Roža Mogota" is the Triglav rose (Pink cinquefoil: Potentilla nitida), I disagree and plan to write an article about it, but that is a story for another day.

  1. Fanny Copeland, Slovene Folklore, Folklore, 42:4, (1931), 430-431. Marija Cvetek, Bajeslovno izročilo v bohinjskem folklornem pripovedništvu, Traditiones (Ljubljana), 34, No. 2, (2005), 179-216. Matija Majar, Sibile. Nekaj od Slovencov, Kmetijske in rokodelske novice II, (1844), 159. Monika Kropej, Supernatural beings: from Slovenian myth and folktales (Ljubljana: Žalozba ZRC, 2012), 146).

  2. Matija Majar, Sibile. Nekaj od Slovencov, Kmetijske in rokodelske novice II, (1844), 159. Marija Cvetek, Bajeslovno izročilo v bohinjskem folklornem pripovedništvu, Traditiones (Ljubljana), 34, No. 2, (2005), 188.

  3. “Za vile so reklə, da majo tačè obevne doje vase k an prǝdivo”. Marija Cvetek, Naš voča so včas zapodval, 43. “They say that the fairies had white-light hair like that of silk” - translation attributable to Daniel Goulding. Marija Cvetek, Bajeslovno izročilo v bohinjskem folklornem pripovedništvu, Traditiones (Ljubljana), 34, No. 2, (2005), 188.

  4. “… the fairy maiden weeps; her tears flow incessantly over the icy, stony ground and a strange white flower springs from it: the edelweiss!” Anton Mailly, Sagen aus Friaul und den Julischen Alpen (Leipzig: Dieterich’sche, 1922), 20.

  5. “Their transparent robes glitter as if sprinkled with diamonds and jewels. On a meadow, they join hands and dance a round dance. At sunrise, they lose their jewellery; the precious stones gradually fall from their flowing veils and turn into frost on the meadow.” Ibid, 20-21.

  6. Fanny Copeland, Slovene Folklore, Folklore, 42:4, (1931), 435-436.

  7. »Tako je bilo v starih časih, pri Slovencih so bile v veliki časti in so močno slovele, ako ravno je več ko tavžent let kar so ginile, si naš narod še današnji dan mnogo od njih visoke učenosti, od njih dobriga srca in od njihove velike slave ve pripovedovati.«

    — Matija Majar, Sibile. Nekaj od Slovencov, Kmetijske in rokodelske novice II, (1844), 159.

    "Thus, it was in the old times, among the Slovenes, they were held in great honour and renown; even though it's been more than a thousand years since they disappeared, our people can still tell us much about the things they learned from these women, their kind hearts and their great renown."

    Translation attributable to Daniel Goulding.

  8. Jurij Dobravec, Triglavska roža in Zlatorog med simboliko in stvarnostjo, Studia Mythologica Slavica, 21, (2018), 129–145. Joža Mahnič, Roža Magota, Slavistična revija, 3:1/2 (1950), 125-136. Janez Mencinger, Abadon (Ljubljana: Ljubljanski zvon, 1893).

Credit: Daniel Goulding