# Saint Maël — Penguin Island character guide > Saint Maël in Penguin Island by Anatole France. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Saint Maël Maël, young Maël, Maël, Saint Maël, The blessed Maël, gentle Maël, old Maël **First appearance:** 0003-i-life-of-saint-ma-l ## Snapshot A gentle Cambrian monk who built, forged, and prayed until divine will hurled him across the sea to baptize a nation of penguins. ## Who they are Maël begins as a royal scion turned abbot, cultivating gardens and casting a bronze bell that floats miraculously to St. Bridget. His peaceful virtue is interrupted when God calls him to a stranger apostolate, and he obeys with the same quiet diligence he once gave to his forge. His earnest, literal-minded holiness—baptizing birds who mistake him for a god—founds Penguinia's entire civilization and its long chain of absurd consequences. ## Relationships ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _social_ Saint Maël is the legendary founder of Penguin society, whose naive piety is chronicled by the narrator with gentle irony. ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _social_ Saint Maël is the legendary founder of Penguin society, whose naive piety is chronicled by the narrator with gentle irony. ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _social_ Saint Maël is the legendary founder of Penguin society, whose naive piety is chronicled by the narrator with gentle irony. ## In the story ### [Penguin Island](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/penguin-island) The elderly missionary who baptizes the penguins and is central to the origin myth of Penguin Island. ### [Book I: The Beginnings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/book-i-the-beginnings) The elderly missionary who baptizes the penguins, setting off the chain of events. ### [Life of Saint Maël](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/i-life-of-saint-ma-l) Protagonist; a scion of Cambrian royalty who becomes Abbot of Yvern, known for his piety, industriousness, and miraculous bell-casting. ### [II: The Apostolical Vocation of Saint Maël](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/ii-the-apostolical-vocation-of-saint-ma-l) Returns to Yvern to restore order, then embarks on a missionary journey in a stone trough, evangelizing and baptizing pagans. ### [III: The Temptation of Saint Maël](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/iii-the-temptation-of-saint-ma-l) The holy abbot, tempted by the Devil to rig his miraculous stone trough for a faster voyage to Hoedic. ### [St. Maël's Navigation on the Ocean of Ice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/iv-st-ma-l-s-navigation-on-the-ocean-of-ice) The holy man navigating the Ocean of Ice in a stone trough, enduring storms and demonic interference. ### [V: The Baptism of the Penguins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/v-the-baptism-of-the-penguins) The holy man who preaches to and baptizes the penguins, mistaking them for humans. ### [An Assembly in Paradise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/vi-an-assembly-in-paradise) The elderly missionary who baptized the penguins, causing the theological controversy. ### [An Assembly in Paradise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/vi-an-assembly-in-paradise) The old missionary whose baptism of penguins is the subject of the debate; the Lord sends Raphael to inform him of his mistake. ### [Metamorphosis of the Penguins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/viii-metamorphosis-of-the-penguins) The holy man who is awakened by the archangel, learns of his error, and transforms the penguins into humans. ### [Book II: The Ancient Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/book-ii-the-ancient-times) The missionary who baptizes the penguins and initiates their transformation. ### [I: The First Clothes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/i-the-first-clothes) The apostle who decides to clothe the penguins and witnesses Magis's demonstration. ### [II: The First Clothes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/ii-the-first-clothes) Distributes clothes to the penguins, feeling sadness that the first garment betrayed modesty. ### [III: Setting Bounds to the Fields and the Origin of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/iii-setting-bounds-to-the-fields-and-the-origin-of-property) Horrified by the violence and murder he witnesses, he prays for divine vengeance but is uncertain about Bulloch's justification. ### [IV: The First Assembly of the Estates of Penguinia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/iv-the-first-assembly-of-the-estates-of-penguinia) Calls the first Estates of Penguinia to levy taxes for public expenses and the Abbey's maintenance. ### [V: The Marriage of Kraken and Orberosia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/v-the-marriage-of-kraken-and-orberosia) Mentioned as the blessed Maël whose prayer transformed Penguins into men. ### [VII: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/vii-the-dragon-of-alca) The holy man who listens to the Elders' plea and advises them to root out idolatry and do penance. ### [VIII: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/viii-the-dragon-of-alca) Meditates on the nature of dragons and instructs Samuel to proclaim that a virgin must combat the dragon. ### [IX: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/ix-the-dragon-of-alca) Abbot who issues the proclamation that the dragon can only be overcome by a virgin. ### [The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/x-the-dragon-of-alca) Old Maël sits in the monastery garden, anxious about the dragon, and proposes a plan to use a chaste young man to lead the monster to the sea. ### [XI: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/xi-the-dragon-of-alca) Mentioned as the holy figure to whom Orberosia will present herself as the destined virgin. ### [XII: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/xii-the-dragon-of-alca) The apostle of the Penguins; he questions Orberosia but ultimately accepts her mission. ### [XII: The Dragon of Alca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/xii-the-dragon-of-alca) Assembles the Penguins and prescribes boundaries to protect them from the dragon's breath. ### [Book III: The Middle Ages and the Renaissance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/book-iii-the-middle-ages-and-the-renaissance) Foundational figure whose earlier actions continue to influence Penguinia's medieval development. ### [I: Brian the Good and Queen Glamorgan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/i-brian-the-good-and-queen-glamorgan) Abbot of Yvern, defends the queen's virtue to King Brian after the false accusation. ### [II: Draco the Great](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/ii-draco-the-great) Not directly appearing, but the chapter continues the historical narrative of Penguinia from earlier chapters. ### [I: Mother Rouquin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/i-mother-rouquin) Referenced as the apostle who baptized the penguins and whose church housed the shrine of St. Orberosia. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/characters/saint_mael - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/penguin_island_se/characters