Jean d'Arras facts for kids
Jean d'Arras was a French writer who lived in the late 1300s. Not much is known about his life, but he is famous for two important books. These books give us a peek into what life was like in the Middle Ages and share old folk tales.
The Spinners' Gospel
Jean d'Arras worked with two other writers, Antoine du Val and Fouquart de Cambrai, to create a book called L'Évangile des quenouilles. This translates to "The Spinners' Gospel." Imagine a group of ladies sitting together, spinning thread. As they work, they share stories and ideas about many different topics. This book is like a collection of their conversations. It's very helpful for understanding the customs and beliefs of people in medieval times. It also includes many old folk stories, some of which were mixed with Christian ideas over time. This book was very popular and was printed many times in the 1400s and 1500s. An early English version was even printed by Wynkyn de Worde, a famous printer.
The Romance of Melusine
Jean d'Arras also wrote a long story called Roman de Mélusine, or "The Romance of Melusine." He wrote this book between 1392 and 1394. He said he wrote it because John, duke of Berry, a powerful nobleman, asked him to. Jean d'Arras dedicated the book to Marie of Valois, Duchess of Bar. He hoped it would help her children learn about politics and how to rule.
The story of Melusine was an old folk tale, especially popular in a region of France called Poitou. Jean d'Arras's book is one of the first times this tale was written down. Melusine is a special fairy who has a secret. Her fairy mother cursed her, so every Saturday, Melusine turns into a creature that is half-woman and half-serpent. If she could marry a human man who stayed loyal to her and never tried to see her on Saturdays, she would become a normal human woman and find peace.
Melusine met a nobleman named Raimondin by a fountain in the forest. They fell in love and got married. Melusine helped Raimondin's family, the Lusignans, become very powerful and famous. They had ten sons, and many of them became famous for their brave actions in the Crusades. However, most of their sons had some kind of physical mark or difference.
Raimondin kept his promise to Melusine for a long time. But then, people started to make him believe that Melusine's Saturday disappearances meant she was meeting someone else. So, Raimondin secretly watched her while she was bathing. He saw her transformation, but he kept her secret.
Later, one of their sons, Geoffrey Big-Tooth, accidentally burned down a monastery where his brother Fromont lived. Raimondin was very upset and publicly blamed Melusine, saying her magical nature had caused problems for their sons. When he said this, Melusine cried out, turned into a dragon, and flew away forever. You can learn more about Melusine in the Melusine article.
See also
In Spanish: Jean d'Arras para niños
