Meduza (Russian:Медуза),Meluza (Russian:Мелуза, literally "small", "little") orMeluzina (Russian:Мелузина) is a mythical creature inRussian folklore. She was depicted in a Russianlubok of the 17th or 18th century. She is described as half-woman, half-snake, or as the half-woman, half-fish creature.[1][2] She is also said to be the deity of deception.[3]
She is represented as a sea monster with the head of a beautiful dark-haired maiden, having the body and belly of a striped beast, adragon tail with asnake's mouth at the end, and legs resembling those of anelephant with the same snake mouths at the end. She also wears a crown.
According to belief, her snake mouths contained a deadly dragon poison. She was said to live in theSea near theEthiopian abyss, or in theWestern Ocean.[1][4]
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