I came today, I'm telling you.
The Maiden of the Waters - that's what the old people say, I have nothing to do with it - lived in an enchanted castle, in the depths of the Green Waters. She had long hair the color of fire. Rafara was her name, and her little slave was called Ikala.
One day they secretly ran away from home to frolic on the pink sand near the shore of the Waters. Andriambahuaca noticed their games and wanted to catch the maiden of the Green Waters. But Rafara rushed into the river with her slave, and he did not have time to grab her. Andriambahuaca was sad that the beautiful girls disappeared. He stood a little and returned to his large hut on the hill.
The next day, Andriambahuaca went to the mpanander Renicutumba and asked for the sikidi to be laid out.
“I wish you well, father,” said Andriambahuaca.
-Are you worried? What's wrong with you, son? - asked mpanandru.
- There, on the shore of Green Waters, I saw two beautiful girls, I really want to take one of them as my wife. But they disappeared, and the water closed over their heads.
Renikutumbe spread the shikidi grains and said:
- Yes, son, these girls live at the bottom of the Waters, and without my help you will not get the one you want.
- What should I do? - Andriambahuaca asked the sorcerer.
- Here's what... But you will have to give me a black rooster, which has never crowed, and five silver coins as payment!
“Okay,” agreed Andriambahuaca.
- Here's the king for you. Bury yourself in the sand where they play. When they come, wait until the water is completely dry on them, and then run and grab them by the hair.
Andriambahuaca went and hid in the sand. A little later, the maiden of the Green Waters came ashore with her slave. Andriambahuaca watched the girls for a long time, and when he saw that there was not a drop of water left on them, he quietly crept up and grabbed them by the hair.
“I want to take you as my wife,” Andriambahuaca said to Rafare.
Rafara did not answer, and Andriambahuaca became timid: he was afraid that she was mute. He waited a little, and then took her to him and said to the people:
- Here you go, people. I brought Rafara from Green Waters. She will be my main wife.
-Who is her father? Who is her mother? Where is she from? - people began to ask.
Andriambahuaca could not tell them anything. But Rafara and Ikala were silent; they stood silently, like stones, like the trunks of dead trees. The people came down the hill and dispersed, shaking their heads.
Some time passed after the wedding, and Rafara gave birth to a son. One day, when Andriambahuaca went to the rice fields, the child burst into tears. His mother took him in her arms and began to rock him:
O grain of my life, my love,
Ravelunahana...Ravelunahana.
Sleep, be silent... Sleep, be silent.
Rafara sang, and her voice rang like a small bell. One slave heard her singing, and when Andriambahuaca returned, she approached him and whispered in his ear:
“Oh sir, while you were in the rice fields, I sat down near the bull pen to warm my sores in the sun and suddenly I heard your wife singing. When you are not there, she talks and her voice rings like a silver bell.
- Swear that it's true! Was she really singing?
“I swear to you, she sang,” said the slave. Andriambahuaca went to the hut and hid under the mat next to Rafara and Ikala. The child began to cry, the mother began to rock him and began to sing. Hearing her voice, Andriambahuaca jumped out from under the mat and shouted:
- Oh Rafara, that means when I’m not there, you talk! But Rafara was speechless again. He begged her and did everything he could to make her speak, but she never wanted to utter a word; Even scolding did not force her to open her mouth. Then Andriambahuaca began to beat her and beat her until he was completely exhausted.
Rafara was silent, only tears fell from her eyes in large drops. Suddenly a terrible noise was heard, and Andriambahuaca saw with fear that Rafara’s tears had turned into a stormy stream, which rushed with a roar towards the Green Waters. Rafara and Ikala rushed into the water, while father and son remained in the hut.
Andriambahuaca took the boy in his arms and rushed after his wife.
Rafara, maiden of the Waters,
Rafara, maiden of the Waters,
Come back! I will give you the most precious thing in the world:
Eldest son, youngest son,
Father and mother, that’s what Andriambahuaca called her.
Andriambahuaca, Andriambahuaca,
I tell you: the eldest son and the youngest son,
Father and mother -
These are not gifts for me, -
That's what Rafara said. Andriambahuaca ran towards the voice and shouted:
Rafara, Rafara, maiden of the Waters!
I will give you the eldest son, the youngest son,
Father and mother
A hundred slaves and a thousand bulls! Rafara replied:
Andriambahuaca, Andriambahuaca!..
The eldest son and the youngest son,
Father and mother
One hundred slaves and a thousand bulls -
These are not gifts for me.
While they were calling to each other like this, Rafara and Ikala swam to the middle of the Green Waters. A huge crocodile, with its gloomy eye exposed, guarded these places.
Crocodile, oh blue crocodile,
Are you sleeping? Don't you see?
The Daughter of the Waters has arrived.
Why don't doors open for her? The crocodile, who was guarding the first ridge of corals, was very surprised to hear this voice. He swam to the rock. The Maiden of the Waters and her slave climbed onto his back and passed seven coral ridges, which parted before them and immediately closed again. And all the big and small crocodiles with scaly backs watched them swim and happily talked to each other:
- Is this true? Has the Maiden of Green Waters returned?
“Well, yes,” said the huge male, “it’s her, I recognize her.” And Andriambahuaca still stood on the shore and cried bitterly:
Rafara, maiden of the Waters,
Come back, come back, I beg you.
Your husband is in trouble.
Your son is in need.
Andriambahuaca complained for a long time until two crocodiles, who had lived in the world for many hundreds of years, swam out of the water. They were sent by Rafara's parents to bring him and the boy.
“We will suffocate in the water and die,” said Andriambahuaca.
But the larger crocodile calmed him down:
- Don't be afraid. As long as you are with us, nothing bad will happen.
They plunged into the water and didn't even get their clothes wet. They swam for a long time after the crocodiles and suddenly saw an enchanted castle. Rafara appeared from the castle and went to meet them. She spoke, and her voice flowed like a song. Behind her was a long line of slaves; Their only clothing was their long hair.
The happy King of the Waters and his wife joyfully received Andriambahuaca and the boy. And they all lived together for many years.
I won’t tell you how well they lived, but rumors about them will spread throughout the world until the end of time.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru