Menolly

Menolly is the most prominent character in Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall trilogy, which is connected to the Dragonriders of Pern series. Menolly grew up in Half-Circle Sea Hold, where she helped the Hold harper, Petiron (Robinton's father), wrote songs, and dreamed of becoming a harper (musician). Unfortunately, female harpers were unheard of in her hold. Her parents, Yanus and Mavi tried to force her to conform to their standard of an obedient daughter. They grudgingly allowed her to continue teaching the local children music after Petiron died of old age and they had to wait for the arrival of a new harper. Once the new harper arrived, they did all they could to keep anyone from revealing that the children had been taught by a girl. They restricted Menolly's activities and even handicapped her playing ability by preventing her hand injury (which she received while gutting an oily fish, called Packtail) from healing normally. Eventually Menolly ran away from home and found refuge in a cave, where she unintentionally Impressed nine fire-lizards: gold Beauty, bronze Rocky and Diver, brown Mimic, Lazybones, and Brownie, blue Uncle, and green Auntie One and Auntie Two. Later in the series, she accidentally Impressed bronze Poll. Menolly was rescued from Threadfall by the brown dragonrider T'gran and brought to Benden Weyr, where she befriended Mirrim and got to watch Jaxom Impress Ruth. After the Hatching feast, she was finally discovered by Masterharper Robinton as the apprentice Petiron mentioned in messages to the Harper Hall and allowed to fulfill her dream of becoming a harper (Dragonsong).

At the Harper Hall, Menolly made friends with Camo, Piemur, Audiva, Silvina, and Sebell. Not everyone approved of a girl becoming a harper and she was victim to envy (among the girl students especially) because of her fire lizards, but she proved her talent and abilities and became a Journeyman (or in fact journeywoman!) (Dragonsinger). She helped Master Robinton write many popular songs, such as 'the fire lizard song' and 'Brekke's song', which helped to share news and understanding with the people of Pern. Eventually she married Sebell and became a Master Harper, helping with the movement to banish Thread from Pern forever.

• Parents: Yanus, Sea Holder of Half Circle Sea Hold, and Mavi
• Siblings: Alemi, Stella, 5 other brothers (names not mentioned)
• Spouse: Sebell, MasterHarper of Pern (he succeeded Master Robinton after his near-fatal heart attack and subsequent retiring)
• Children: Robse, Olos, Lemsia

Menolly is also mentioned in Anne McCaffrey's book called The Dolphins of Pern. In this book, Menolly went to the newly found southern holds as a stand-in harper for the children where her brother Alemi lived. She arrives pregnant and with Camo, the half-wit she befriended at Harper Hall. She is also mentioned in The White Dragon and All The Weyrs Of Pern.