The princess of the waters

There was a boy who was unlucky. Whenever his mother went to ask for the hand of a young girl for him, she was refused, the parents made fun of her:

- Our daughter is too good for your son!

In the long run, the boy despairs, he no longer laughs, no longer sleeps, no longer eats. He's getting thin as a nail. His mother looks at him, his heart sinks: what to do? you can't take a girl by force… She starts to cry. She cursed the spell.

One day his son said to him:

"Mother, I am going to look elsewhere if I have more luck".

He puts a piece of bread in his wallet and sets off.

He walks a long time. He finally stops near a spring to drink. Leaning over the water, he lets out a big sigh ... Ah! ..

- " My friend " said a voice

- "Who calls me his friend? Said the young man.

- " It was I who called you my friend ”

- " But where are you ? I hear your voice but I can't see you ”.

- " Have you never heard of me? I am Lucérène, the daughter of the king of the waters. I live with my father and my mother, at the bottom of the water. As soon as I saw you, I was drawn to you. Go tell your mother to come see the king my father and ask him to give you my hand.

- " But appear, at least, that I see you!

- " I can't, I assure you I can't. "

The boy is surprised, he turns his head to the right, to the left, there is absolutely no one around.

- " Oh ! bad luck, "he said," you cheated on me, I'm going to continue on my way.

– But no, I didn't cheat on you, said Lucérène's voice, return home, you will see your walls and your roof covered with gold and silver, on your table bread and good food. If you don't see anything, I will have cheated on you, but if you see it all, tell your mother to come and see my father the king. Go, you will see and you will believe me!

The boy returns home. He sees the walls and the roof covered with gold and silver, the table royally served. He no longer recognizes his home. He asks his mother:

- "Mother, who transformed our house and furnished the table?" "

- " I do not know. I heard a voice saying:Walls and roof, cover yourself with gold and silver! Table, be furnished! Immediately I saw these orders executed. I thought, "is this our house? is this our table? it's a miracle ! "

- "Yes, mom, it's a miracle, and I know who accomplished it." It is Lucérène, the daughter of the king of the waters. She lives at the bottom of the water, I did not see her but I heard her. She said:

– Go home and tell your mother to come and ask the king for my hand for you.

- " Ah! blessed be this young girl! I will quickly prepare myself. "

- Yes, mother, go, luck is finally smiling on me!

The boy explains to his mother where the source is. She runs there. She calls :

- "Lucérène, I would give my life for you!" I am the mother of the young man you liked, tell your father that I came to pick you up and take you to my place. "

With these words, the king of the waters comes out of the spring. The mother sees a handsome old man, a golden crown on his head, a purple coat, green eyes, a green beard, a scepter in her hand.

- "Hello, my friend the king!" "

The king takes it back amiably:

- "You haven't taken my daughter yet and you're already calling me friend?" "

- Well ! let's hurry! Tell me, you give me your daughter, let me take her?

- No, said the king of the waters, I will only give my daughter on one condition.

- What condition, dear king?

- On condition that your son goes to my enemy, the king of the forests, and seizes my daughter's clothes chest. If he brings it to me, I give it to him, if he doesn't bring it, I don't give it. Go now, in your cellar, and seek your son's horse: its saddle is mother-of-pearl, its irons are silver, its hooves are gold, and a steel sword hangs from the saddle.

The woman returns, she sees in the cellar the horse intended for her son: the mother-of-pearl saddle, the silver irons, the golden hooves and the steel sword. She is delighted and goes to say to her son:

- Son, your king sets a condition: that you bring back from his enemy, the king of the forests, his daughter's clothes chest. You bring it back, he gives it to you, otherwise he doesn't give it. What do you say about that?

- What do you want me to say, mother? I have never rode a horse, I have never drawn a sword.

By order of God, the horse spoke:

- "Don't be afraid," he said, "just stand on the saddle. The King of the Forest is a monster and those who see him are terrified. If he shouts at you: Mortal turn around I'll give you whatever you want above all, do not look back, for you would be transformed into a tree ”.

- "Good," said the boy, let's go! "

He rides a horse, grabs the sword and gallops to the forest. There he shivers. The trees appear to be monstrous men with disheveled heads and twisted feet. At the sight of the young man, they start to scream and clash. It looks like an earthquake. Their king has a thousand feet and a thousand hands. He rushes towards the trees, shouting:

– Catch it! Catch it! it's been a long time since I ate human flesh! Trees, catch it! catch it!

The boy is scared of the trees and all these screams. He wants to go home. The horse says:

- "Do not be afraid, these are only cries. Advance ! "

The boy pushes him forward; he raises his sword, he strikes the king of the forests and kills him. The trees, seeing their king dead, become furious. The boy dismounts from his horse. He finds the chest hidden in the brush, grabs it and climbs back into the saddle. The trees behind him moan and beg him:

- " Turn around, if you don't turn around, you will be transformed into a tree!

The boy is so scared that he almost drops the chest. He is about to turn around, but the horse encourages him, he gallops, he arrives at the mountain, near the source.

Immediately, the young man calls:

 »Lucérène, daughter of the king of the waters, I'll bring you your chest of clothes, go upstairs and get dressed and let's go! "

Hearing his voice, the king of the waters comes out of the spring, he approaches the young man, hugs him, kisses him on the forehead and calls his daughter:

- Daughter, you can go out, your fiancé brought your safe, go upstairs and get dressed!

Lucérène takes her head out of the water and says:

" Turn away as I put on my clothes "

The father and the young man turn away, Lucérène gets dressed, she shines like the sun! She hugs her beloved, she kisses him, she asks her father to bless her, then the young people get on their horses and arrive at the house.

When the mother sees the dazzling young girl, she becomes ecstatic. She climbs on the roof and shouts from all sides:

“Young and old, men, women and children, all come! come and attend the most sumptuous of weddings! "

The young girls who had not wanted this boy were ashamed and stayed at home. The others came and had the wedding for seven days and seven nights.

Our heroes saw their wishes come true, so may ours come true!