Basque tales
Here are various tales Basque : the shadowless priest, the thirsty shepherd, the shepherd of Okina
The shadowless priest
At one time, the old devil had founded, in the cave of Salamanca, a school for those who wanted to become priests. Accepting only gifts he instructed them in a single year, and those who came out of his school were especially strong in conjurations. But every year a student had to stay in the cave for the old devil, and the one who came out last was the one.
As the exit of this school was at St Jean, the pupils all sought to escape one before the other, because no one wanted to stay with the old devil; But they could only go out one at a time and one after the other, for the door was narrow, low, and just wide enough. That day, the old devil stayed at the door and said to the first who came out:
– “Stay here, you”
"Take hold of the one following me. »
He thus made the same request to everyone down to the last, and all gave him the same answer; but the latter still remained in the cave with the old devil.
One year, a student deceived the old devil. On St John's morning, the students were in the grotto, very sad. One of them says to his comrades:
“If you want to wait to go out until noon strikes, I will stay last. »
They all promise him wholeheartedly to wait. Just at noon, they began to go out.
The old devil makes the usual request to everyone, and everyone gives the same answer.
"Take hold of the one following me. »
But, as at noon, the day of St Jean, the sun was just in front of the cave, the body of the last outgoing cast a shadow. The priest therefore left his shadow. Throughout his life, whatever the weather, he had no shadow, and, if what is said is true, he later became parish priest of Barcus.
The thirsty shepherd
One day, while he was tending his sheep in Murumendi, a shepherd felt thirst overcoming him and he began to walk through the mountain to find a source to quench his thirst.
In his search, he came to the entrance of a cave. There he saw an elegantly dressed young girl.
“What are you looking for man? she asked him.
"Mademoiselle, I'm looking for water to quench my thirst. »
" - Water ? You mean cider? "
At this moment, the young girl presented him with a jar full of cider and gave him a drink.
"Very good cider," said the gerger when he had tasted it, "with what apples is it made?" »
“– With those denied by Mr. Montes de Ikastegieta. »
The shepherd stood amazed. With these few words, the elegant young girl had given him to understand that the cider had been made with the apples whose existence had been denied by his master.
The Okina Shepherd
Once a shepherd slept in the shade of beeches while his sheep were scattered on Mount Okina.
When it began to get dark, the sheep retreated to a shelter under the rocks. A few did not.
The shepherd went to look for the missing ones. He walked towards the place from which he seemed to hear the sound of a cowbell. When he got there he went on, hearing the bells, but he didn't see his sheep.
It seemed to him that the sounds of bells reached him below his feet. He advanced a little and fell into the depths of Okina's chasm.
There were some mysterious sheep whose bells rang like those of his beasts. Taken with concern he remembered the virgin of Arantzazu and asked her for her protection.
The next morning he found himself under the bell tower of Arantzazu.
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