hamadryad

[prettygoodword]

hamadryad (ham-uh-DRAI-ad) - n., (Greek & Roman myth.) a nymph living with and bound to a particular tree.


Unlike most dryads, who like other types of nymphs are immortal minor-deities-slash-nature-spirits, a hamadryad was life-bound to her home: when her tree dies, she does too. The word is also an outdated name for the king cobra, as well as a baboon native to Ancient Egypt. From Ancient Greek hamadruás, from hama, together + druás, dryad (from drûs, tree, originally oak).


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.

Comments

[full_metal_ox]

I’m remembering a fantasy short story from the (70’s? 80’s?) in which a a character was revealed to be a hamadryad; she managed to survive the felling of her tree by carrying three magical artifacts made from its wood, perhaps in an analogy to a vampire’s native soil: two were a comb and a flute.

[prettygoodword]

If you can find it again (r/whatsthatbook?) I'd be interested in reading it.