ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ondine (mythology)

Ondine is a water spirit in mythology. She lives in rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. She has beautiful long hair, blue or green skin and sometimes has a fishtail. Ondines are said to be very graceful and they can make beautiful music with their voices.

However, there is a sad legend about Ondine. In the legend, a man named Hans fell in love with Ondine and they got married. Their love was pure and true. But Hans was not always faithful to Ondine and he broke his promise to her. He fell in love with a human woman and forgot about Ondine.

When Ondine found out, she was very sad and angry. She decided to place a curse on Hans. From that day on, Hans could only breathe when he was awake because if he fell asleep, he would stop breathing and die. Ondine's curse was that Hans would die if he ever forgot about her again.

So Ondine is a water spirit who is beautiful and talented, but should not be crossed. If you make a commitment to her, you must keep your promise or face the consequences.