Ileana Cosânzeana

Ileana Cosânzeana is a figure in Romanian mythology. She is represented as a beautiful good-natured princess.[1] In Romanian folklore, Ileana is the original concept of feminine beauty, the most beautiful amongst the fairies: her eyes look like the sun, her body is like the sea and her garments are made of flowers. Pearls and gold flow out of her mouth when she sings. She is also said to use her power of white magic to heal or revive. Ileana Cosânzeana signifies the most poetic imagination of Romanian genius. She personifies the beauty, the youth, and the angelic soul, in one word the perfection of humanity. She is a mythical character with supernatural powers and with symbolic features. Ileana Cosânzeana succeeds in defeating the evil forces because she is very brave, smart, modest and diligent. In some tales "Ileana Cosânzeana" is the fairy of the Spring flowers, who gives each flower its perfume, although she also has the power to take it back. The elves love her, as do the flowers; even the wind loves Ileana, but he can never catch her. In the myth, she is a beautiful princess who is kidnapped by the Zmeu (a Dragon equivalent), who locks her in his castle and waits for her to give in to his marriage proposal. She is saved by Făt-Frumos, who is analogous to Prince Charming. Făt-Frumos is tested by many trials as he makes his way to Ileana Cosânzeana. Finally, he fights the Zmeu, beats him, and frees Ileana Cosânzeana. They both live happily ever after. Ileana Cosânzeana has a elder brother – Verea Viteazul.

Romanian stamp from 1965.

See also

References
  1. Ileana Cosanzeana , Petre Ispirescu, Great Romanian Characters, Retrieved 16 April 2017

Bibliography
  • Calinescu, Matei. "Between History and Paradise: Initiation Trials." The Journal of Religion 59, no. 2 (1979): 218-23. www.jstor.org/stable/1202705.
  • Frîncu, Simina & Giurginca, Ioana. (2019). Făt-Frumos cu ceas rupt din Soare. Folclorul românesc și astronomia. In: Astronomia străbunilor. Arheoastronomie și etnoastronomie pe teritoriul României, Publisher: JATEPress Kiadó, pp. 345-362.


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