Tradition: Italian Mythology
Alternative Names: Anguana (singular)
Category: Nymph
The Myth
The Anguane are supernatural female beings in the folklore of northern Italy, traditionally associated with lakes and other bodies of water. They are often described as beautiful water nymphs with cloven feet and unusually long breasts, combining an alluring human appearance with strange physical features that reveal their otherworldly nature.
According to traditional beliefs, Anguane carried their children in baskets held on their backs. They possessed the unusual ability to throw their long breasts over their shoulders to nurse their young while carrying them. This distinctive characteristic became one of their most recognizable features in folklore, setting them apart from ordinary human women.
Anguane were believed to live in or near lakes, where they inhabited the boundary between the human world and the mysterious realm of water spirits. Their beauty could make them alluring to passing men, whom they were said to seduce as they travelled through the countryside. Yet their associations were not limited to seduction and danger.
These supernatural women were also connected with fertility. According to local traditions, Anguane could help women who were unable to conceive become pregnant. They therefore occupied an ambiguous position in folklore, embodying both the seductive and mysterious power of water spirits and the hope of overcoming infertility.
Through their unusual appearance, strange maternal abilities, and connection to both seduction and fertility, the Anguane represent a distinctive group of water nymphs in northern Italian folklore.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Anguane. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguane