‘Gossip Girl’ pays tribute to a nymph renowned for her beauty named Larunda. Larunda was also known for another trait. She talked a lot. Her parents, try as they might, could not curb this trait and her love of gossip.

Jupiter would provide an answer to solve this dilemma.

During one of her many gossip sessions, Larunda could not hang onto a very juicy tidbit of information. She ended up revealing Jupiter’s affair with fellow nymph Juturna to Jupiter’s wife Juno. She could not keep such a juicy tidbit of information to herself. So much for the girl code.

That proved to be a very bad idea. Jupiter was king of the gods in Rome. You mess with Jupiter, you better don’t mess with Jupiter.

His answer? Cut out her tongue and order her escorted by Mercury to Avernus, the gateway to the underworld. Extreme perhaps, but effective.

Our story does not end here. You know the pretty people who can talk their way out of a speeding ticket? Even without her tongue Larunda managed to weasel her way out of the trip to the Underworld. Mercury fell in love with her, they made love and she had two babies.

It was a real labour for her to avoid the Underworld. Literally!

To keep herself safe, she had to remain hidden in a cottage in the woods. That combined without having a tongue, may have been a worse punishment than a trip to the Underworld.

It’s a good thing there was no Facebook or WIFI back then! Larunda might have lost her fingers too.

This raku vase’s name was chosen by Mandy Lewis-Houston during our July 2019 Edition of ‘Name that Vase’, who explains it as follows:

I would call it “Phoenix Reborn” for several reasons. First is a little on the nose since it’s Raku and forged in flame. The second is because, if I read your blog properly, this is the first work you have finished since your sad loss. Lastly because July has been stupid hot for almost everyone everywhere so this could be a lovely harbinger of cooler times since it’s out of the flames and hopefully so are we all.

Thank you so much Mandy for your touching suggestion. I am really drawn to this name and feel like she has captured the essence of this piece on many levels. You can check out Mandy’s artistic works on her website here.

You may read more about my recent experiences that caused me to choose this particular name here – “Working Through Grief.”.