AURYN

AURYN is an Ouroboros talisman in The Neverending Story, empowered by the Childlike Empress. In the novel, AURYN is always spelled in capital letters and is revered by all Fantasticans as "The Gem" and "The Glory" (German: das Kleinod, der Glanz). While the book makes noteworthy the point that the image of AURYN is on its "cover(s)", it does not actually refer to it as AURYN. The name of the amulet is not the same as that of a simple inanimate object. The word 'the' never precedes that amulet's name (i.e., never "the AURYN"). Instead, it is used simply as AURYN, a proper noun like a person's name.

Two mythological serpents, symmetrical, bite at the other's tail. (In the film, these form a Celtic knot; whereas in the book, they form an oval). One serpent is white and one is black. Each has an eye to correspond to the color of the book's print (red and green). The two snakes represent the dual nature of the two worlds, Fantastica and Reality, but also the twin nature of their mutual creation and destruction. On the back of AURYN are these words:

"Do what thou wilt" (German: "Tu, was du willst").

AURYN helps guide Atreyu through Fantastica in his quest to find a cure for the ailing Childlike Empress, and in turn defeat the Nothing. It serves him clandestinely, but does return him to the Ivory Tower. In the hands of the Childlike Empress, AURYN releases seven spirits to carry her as she seeks the Old Man of Wandering Mountain.

In the interior of AURYN, the two serpents guard the Waters of Life, which serve as the exit from Fantastica.