Menolly

Menolly is the central character in Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall trilogy. 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). Her parents, Yanus and Mavi, grudgingly allowed her to continue teaching the local children music after Petiron died as their community had no other harper, but refused to permit her to sing once the replacement harper came, much less become a harper in her own right as they believed it was not right for mere girls to do such things. Menolly ran away from home and found refuge in a cave, where she Impressed nine fire-lizards: gold Beauty, bronzes Rocky and Diver, browns Mimic, Lazybones, and Brownie, blue Uncle, and green Auntie One and Auntie Two. Menolly was rescued from Threadfall by brown dragonrider T'gran and brought to Benden Weyr. 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. She wrote many popular songs, such as 'the fire lizard song' and 'Brekke's song'--songs helped transmit news and current events throughout 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, Sella, 5 other brothers (names not mentioned)
*Spouse: Sebell, MasterHarper of Pern after Master Robinton suffered a near-fatal heart attack and retired)
*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.