“Huldbrand’s heart began to turn from Undine to Bertalda” and “Bertalda more and more responded with ardent affection to the young knight….how Undine wept…”[1]

This sums up the state of Undine’s marriage.  It’s all the more tragic because Undine is so innocent and pure.  She would never have expected the cruelty of her friend and husband – indeed, it’s as if they had no souls.

To make matters worse, Uncle Kuhleborn repeatedly pays terrifying visits to them – especially Bertalda, who “had already several times been made ill with terror.”[2]  

The Last Straw

One day while Huldbrand is out, Undine gets her servants to place a large stone over the fountain in their courtyard.  This causes a tiff between her and Bertalda, for Bertalda claims she needs the water for her “complexion;”  but Undine “although gentle as usual, was more than usually firm.”[3]

And, since “the servants of the castle were as happy in obeying their gentle mistress as in opposing Bertalda’s haughty defiance,” the stone was set in place.[4]

When Huldbrand returns, Bertalda complains.  Undine begs him to hear her out in private.  At first he refuses, but “she looked so humble, so sweet, and obedient, that the knight’s heart” was softened.[5]

Pure, Dearest Undine

When they are alone, she tells him she had to seal it – for it was how Kulheborn kept entering into their castle.[6]  

The reason for his intrusions?  Undine’s explanation is bittersweet:

“[Kulheborn sees] that you are dissatisfied with me; that I, in my childishness, am weeping at this, and that Bertalda perhaps is at the very same moment laughing.  Hence he imagines various discrepancies in our homelife, and in many ways mixes unbidden with our circle…”[7]

At this, Huldbrand “again experienced within his heart all the charm of his old love” and “felt deeply the generosity of his sweet wife.”[8]

The “Favor”

Seeing the softening of his heart, Undine then asks him a favor.  She says he can get angry with her on land, “but never, I pray you, behave thus toward me on the water,” for then her relatives “would unrelentingly tear me from you in their rage; because they would imagine that one of their race was injured.”  She would never see him again, unless…but she cannot finish the thought.[9]

Having read Paracelsus’ theories, we know what she is referencing.  But more than that, her speech shows her purity.  The favor is solely for his protection, not for Undine’s comfort!

Huldbrand promises.

Bertalda’s Adventure

Very tellingly, Bertalda assumes she will be allowed to have the stone removed.  Huldbrand, “angry at her impertinence,” says the stone should be left, and “he reproved Bertalda, too, for her violence toward his wife.”[10]

Bertalda then runs away to the forest, leaving a passive-aggressive note.[11]  Huldbrand goes after her immediately.  It’s a strange encounter, where Kulheborn tries to kill them in a variety of ways (alluding to the darker side of water spirits).  But the important part is that the two all but confess their love for each other in the midst of it…[12]

And Undine still saves them.  Indeed, she is the only one who can vanquish her uncle.  And she chooses to do so.

Why, oh why, does she save them, when it’s clear Huldbrand is going after another lover?  A lesser lover.

And then I stop, for I’m no better than Huldbrand and Bertalda.  None of us are.  The Gospel – in fact the entire history of God pursing mankind! – is tucked away in this story…

The Gospel Allegory

Despite our continual harassment of God – which grieved him as much as Huldbrand and Bertalda’s harassment grieved Undine – God loved us enough to give us the law, symbolized in our story by the stone.  Just as Bertalda and Huldbrand don’t realize the stone is for their protection, we don’t realize the law is for our protection.

Yes, some of the Old Testament laws seem obscure, but we must take it by faith they are meant to protect us.  Like a parent who tells a toddler to never cross the street without mommy or daddy, God loves us enough to tell us not to do some things so we might be safe.  After all, the enemy is always looking for a foothold (Eph. 4:27), just as Kulheborn was.

In parts of its history, Israel understood the purpose of the law – like Huldbrand did after Undine told him why she erected the stone; but  there were those who didn’t, and ran further away – like Bertalda.  And like Huldbrand running after Bertalda, Israel soon joined the gentile nations in running away from God.

This cycle is repeated in our own lives.  We draw close to God, only to be wooed away by lesser lovers.

And yet, Christ still chose to save us.  Despite our lack of love, and despite knowing we’d continue to grieve him, he came to our rescue.  He “proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

While we were still sinners. While we were still Bertalda, running away from a law which was meant to protect us, and while we were still Huldbrand, running after our lesser lover.

Christ proved his love to us on the cross, just as Undine proved it in the forest.  The choice is ours, just as it is Huldbrand and Bertalda’s.  Do we love and honor Christ for his love and sacrifice?  Or do we turn back to our lesser lovers?

The Choice

It seems Huldbrand and Bertalda choose to love Undine for the “salvation” she gives them.  Huldbrand “perceived the heavenly goodness of his wife,” and there was “newly-awakened love and esteem” in his heart.  As for Bertalda, she “showed herself grateful, humble and timid.”[13]

So happy were they, that it was suggested they take a journey down the Danube.  Since Undine was with them, they didn’t have to be afraid of Kuhleborn.[14]

So it was decided.  They would journey…upon the water.

 

Sources

[1] Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué in Heidi Anne Heiner’s Mermaid and Other Water Spirit Tales from Around the World (Nashville, TN: SurLaLune Press, 2011) 575.

[2] Ibid., 576.

[3] Undine, 577.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Undine, 577.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Undine, 578.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Undine, 578-579.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Undine, 579.

[12] Ibid., 579-583.

[13] Undine, 583-584.

[14] Ibid., 584.


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