Personifications of the more pleasant aspects of nature, nymphs were a kind of middle being between gods and men, communicating with both, loved and respected by both.
They were gifted with the power to make themselves visible or invisible at will, they could perform many feats normally only possible to the gods, and they were always young, beautiful and happy, carefree and loving, and other good things. When they were entrusted with the care of a thing or person, as in the case of Ida and Althaea, who were charged with looking after the infant Zeus, they took this responsibility very seriously, also showing the practical, able side of female nature.

There were many different classes of nymphs -- different ones for rivers, mountains, trees, and so on -- but they were universally female and beautiful. They lived, like the gods, on ambrosia, but seldom visited Olympus, preferring instead to remain in their secluded grottoes and forests, mountains and rivers, trees and lakes, etc. They accompanied many of the gods when the deities walked the Earth, in particular Apollo, Hermes, Artemis and Dionysos, but they were always hostile to the wanton Satyrs.

The twelve main classes of nymphs were:
Dryads or Hamadryads (nymphs of woods and trees)
Oreads (nymphs of mountains)
Limoniads (nymphs of meadows and flowers)
Napaeae or Auloniads (nymphs of mountain vales)
Okeanids(nymphs of fountains and streams)
Nereides (nymphs of the sea)
Naiads (nymphs of the liquid element)
Potamids (nymphs of rivers)
Limnads (nymphs of lakes,marshes and swamps---these were the only evil nymphs)
Pleiads (seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione)
Atlantids (daughters of Atlas)
Hyads (daughters of Atlas and Aethra).
In NetHack, an extremely annoying creature that proliferates throughout the Dungeons of Doom. They will systematically rob you blind unless you take preventative (or evasive) measures, going first for rings of adornment, then weapons and armor, then everything else.

Nymphs come in several varieties, including mountain nymphs and water nymphs. The latter are sometimes "attracted" (in NetHack's demonic terminology, this means "instantly created next to you") if you drink from a fountain.

Of course, the DevTeam has human (or elven, or dwarven, or gnomish) sexuality nailed -- the Nymph prances around in her birthday suit, and the hapless man immediately begins taking off his boots, cloak, etc so he can get in on the action. Females aren't safe either anymore, in this day and age.

To avoid having your stuff stolen (if your armor class is high enough that they can hit you), drop all of it on the square you are standing upon and attack with spells or other long-range attacks. If you are carrying a ring of adornment, the nymph will attempt to steal this first -- in fact, the only good use for this item is as nymph-bait.

Nymphs are not particularly difficult to kill, but they teleport to a random location on the level each time they successfully steal something, until you are naked, weaponless, and void of items, wandering the level in a pathetic heap. At this point, the nymph will be wearing your cloak of magic resistance +3, your blessed speed boots +4 and ring of regeneration, making her an impossible target. You will then encounter a horde of orcs, a leucrotta, or something else equally nasty and meet your bitter end. Thus, the appearance of a nymph is often cause for definite alarm.

Nymph is a book of erotic short stories by Francesca Lia Block, not a young adult book like most of her others. The stories are different than the usual "erotic" stories for two reasons: One, they are generally fantastical in some aspect; and two, they in very small ways interact with each other. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that once in a while the coarse terminology for sexual acts and body parts cuts into the beauty of her poetic writing. I am not generally a fan of sex stories, but Ms. Block made them not only tolerable but enjoyable.

This comes highly recommended for Block fans, erotic story fans, and magic realism fans alike.

Nymphs are one of the life stages of some types of insects. A gradual metamorphosis proceeds from egg to nymph to adult. Within the nymph stage the insect grows and molts (sheds the outer skin), grows and molts, for a varying number of times. These stages within the nymph stage are called instars. Essentially all the weight gain of the insect takes place during the nymph instars.

Nymphs look like small adults except they are without wings and may be a different color. They also occupy the same niche in nature as their adults progenitors.

An example of an insects that has a nymph stage that we have probably all observed is the grasshopper.

To constrast, other insects undergo a complete metamorphosis that proceeds from egg to larva to pupa to adult. An example of this type of insect is a butterfly. Each stage looks very different and occupies a different niche in nature than the adult or other stages.

Nymph (?), n. [L. nympha nymph, bride, young woman, Gr. : cf. F. nymphe. Cf. Nuptial.]

1. Class. Myth.

A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters.

Where were ye, nymphs, when the remorseless deep Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas ? Milton.

2.

Hence: A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel.

Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered. Shak.

3. Zool.

The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.

4. Zool.

Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; -- called also naiad.

 

© Webster 1913.

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