Biralla is an old evil witch who features as the central antagonist in the Ruby-Spears Dragon's Lair animated series episode "The Pool of Youth." She sought the location of the magical "Pool of Youth" in hopes of strengthening her dwindling magical abilities through regaining her youth. Seeking to coerce its location out of Mayor Rukh’s daughter Gelda, Biralla troubled the town of Avalon by turning all of its residents into stone. After Gelda refused her demand, Biralla put a sleeping spell upon the girl and instructed her canine henchmen Shadmocks to imprison Gelda in the chamber of sleep.
As Dirk the Daring, Princess Daphne, Timothy, and Bertram journeyed to Avalon after encountering the enchanted Rukh, the heroes were pursued by Living Rocks and Living Trees, which they identified as being animated through Biralla’s magic. The heroes were then confronted by Biralla herself, who attempted to turn them to stone with a blast of her magic, but it proved futile due to her magic being weakened by advanced age. She fled back to her castle lair, leaving the heroes to pursue her.
Biralla used her Telescope to spy on the heroes, and learned that they planned to rescue Gelda. Biralla instructed her Shadmock Commander to permit the rescue (though not to make it look obvious), so that she might follow the heroes to the Pool of Youth. As the heroes split up to achieve distinct objections, Biralla drove her mule cart toward the Pool’s location. Dirk carelessly splashed Daphne and Bertram with the pool’s water, reverting them all to child-like versions of themselves, which confirmed the pool's magic in Biralla's mind. Biralla fully immersed herself in the water and emerged out of the pool with her youth restored and her tattered red cloak and hood transformed into a form-fitting purple and black outfit with a symbol of a pentagram inside a triangle upon her chest.
Timothy and Gelda arrived with The Sandman, who restored Dirk and Daphne to their proper ages. A rejuvenated Dirk then battled Biralla and her Shadmocks. Using Daphne's mirror, Dirk was able to deflect Biralla's powerful magical attacks. The Sandman aided Dirk by reverting Biralla back to her advanced age. After Dirk reflected another one of her magical attacks, the witch herself was transformed into a Stone Toad. The heroes took the petrified witch back to Avalon to be used as a statue.
Trivia[]
- After learning of Biralla's wicked oppression against the villagers of Avalon, Dirk refers to her as "the wicked banshee", an obvious insult but also a reference to the female spirits of Celtic mythology. The Bluth Studio's take on The Banshee seen in Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp would have already been in production at the time of this episode's airing, but any connection is likely coincidental.
- Biralla as a Stone Toad wears the pointed hat of her younger version instead of instead of the hood her older self wore at the moment of her transformation.
Gallery[]
Old Biralla[]
Youthful Biralla[]
Stone Toad[]
Production Art[]
