Maleperduis (; ; ; ; ), also spelled Malperdy, is

Reynard the Fox Reynard the Fox is a literary cycle of medieval allegorical Dutch, English, French and German fables. The first extant versions of the cycle date from the second half of the 12th century. The genre was popular throughout the Late Middle Ages, ...

's principal hideaway in the medieval tales of this figure of legend. The first extant versions of Reynard's

literary cycle A literary cycle is a group of stories focused on common figures, often (though not necessarily) based on mythical figures or loosely on historical ones. Cycles which deal with an entire country are sometimes referred to as matters. A fictional c ...

date from the second half of the 12th century. The name of the castle is most likely an old misspelling of the French word "Millepertuis", meaning " St. John's Wort", which was considered a sacred plant during the days the Reynard cycle was first written.

Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the ...

ine Maleperduys is full of holes, crooked and long, with multiple exits, which Reynard can open and shut to elude his enemies. Full of secret chambers and passageways, in William Caxton's ''The Historie of Reynart the Foxe'' (1485) the

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

of Maleperduys is described as the "best and the fastest burgh that eynardhad. There lay he in when he had need, and was in any dread or fear." (Chapter VII, ''How Bruin the Bear was sped of Reynard the Fox''). Over time, the word came to mean a place of refuge. It is also the title of a horror novel, written in 1943 by the Belgian author, Jean Ray. In 1972, it was made into a film, '' Malpertuis'', directed by Harry Kümel and starring

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

References

{{Reflist Fictional elements introduced in the 12th century Medieval legends Medieval literature Fictional fortifications Reynard cycle Fictional buildings and structures originating in literature