Arethusa
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Arethusa. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
ar-e-thu'sa, in Grecian mythology, a beautiful nymph. A river god of the Olympian region became enamored of her, and she prayed to Diana, who opened a subterranean passage for her under the sea to Ortygia, Sicily, whither, however, the river god pursued her. The basis for the legend is the fact that the river Alpheus passes underground repeatedly, and reappears again in the limestone rocks of Arcadia. A beautiful fountain gushes forth in Sicily. The imagination of the Greeks supplied the rest of the story. The name of this sea nymph has been bestowed upon one of our most beautiful flowers. It is found in swamps from Newfoundland to Minnesota and southward to the mountains of North Carolina . Our Arethusa is one of the prettiest of the orchids, and has been pursued through many a marsh and quaking bog by her lovers. She is a bright pink-purple flower an inch or more long, with the odor of sweet violets. The sepals and petals rise up and arch over the column, which we may call the heart of the flower, as if shielding it.--Burroughs, Riverby.
1000 Classical Characters (1900)
A nymph of Elis, daughter of Oceanus, and one of Diana 's attendants. As she returned one day from hunting she bathed in the Alpheus stream. The god of the river was enamored of her, and pursued her over the mountains, till Arethusa, ready to sink from fatigue, implored Diana to change her into a fountain, which the goddess did. 2026 Editor's Note: The page describes Arethusa 's transformation into a fountain but does not specify where it occurred. She emerged as a fresh water fountain on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse, Sicily. This geographical specificity resolves the mythological narrative with a concrete, identifiable location. (Ed: BR 2026-07-18)