Very close to the new Ria station, a few meters from the mas Marie, there was a robust and centuries-old Ria oak which casts the shadow of its foliage on the national road. He is the king of the surrounding trees, like an ancestor still green, with the torso of a giant, bent neither by winds nor storms, with a head high and proud, braving the elements, with powerful and knotty arms which protected so many generations.
Ria oak
Who knows how deep in the ground the powerful roots, the many tentacles of this gigantic oak extend? Who knows in the same way from which period dates back his curious legend ? It was at least at the time when reigned as sovereigns in Roussillon, and particularly in the vicinity of Prades, the mysterious Encantades.
Soft with a supernatural power which they held from hell, these malevolent witches coerced their victims, cast spells on them, spread the worst evils in the region, inspiring the people of the country with profound terror.
It was under cover of darkness that they performed their spells; at the stroke of midnight, they gathered around the gorges of en Gourné, the deepest chasm of the Têt between Ria and Villefranche, they washed their laundry there, then disappeared under the guidance of the three Analgès sisters, the most audacious and the most wrinkled; woe to the inhabitants of the village whom they chose for the accomplishment of their sinister exploits; they made them suffer the worst vexations and left painful memories of their passage.
In vain the peasants, armed to the teeth, ran after them and circled the countryside. The merry band of Encantades moved towards the group of holm oaks whose double row, starting from the gorges, ran along the high road. And at the command of one of them: "Pet sus fulla, Aybre en amont" ("foot on leaf, at the top of the tree"), they disappeared into the thick branches.
We could then hear a rustle of leaves clashing and branches moaning, as if a flock of birds had descended on these trees. Then nature returned to silence until the moment when the furious peasants arrived; they passed under the oaks, but sought out the witches elsewhere than among the leaves and acorns.
One night it was very cold, so cold that the peasants could hardly hold their sticks and their forks. When they passed under the oaks, their caps, which they had however pulled down to their ears, disappeared as if by magic, stolen by the mysterious fairies. Peals of laughter echoed in the air and the frightened unfortunate peasants returned to their village at full speed.
One day, however, one of the oaks protested; he was the youngest and the frailest. He addressed himself to his elders and expressed his indignation to them.
"We can no longer become accomplices of those horrible witches who torture the brave, harmless peasants," he said. Their infernal actions cannot receive our approval, and I propose that you no longer grant them hospitality, let us banish them forever. »
Disapproving cries greeted this proposal. Or was astonished at the audacity, the boldness of the young complainer, and one of the oaks replied:
— “We need not feel sorry for the fate of those accursed woodcutters who strip us of our branches and our acorns. Too bad for them if they suffer. We support well, us, without saying anything, the bad weather of the Seasons ”.
"You are selfish," cried the young oak, "I will act alone, but I will act." »
And, courageously, he forbade the Encanladas to hide under its foliage henceforth. He even threatened to reveal their refuge.
The witches, disdainful, first braved the stunted tree, but, following the wise advice of the badessa, they decided to change the place of their retreat for greater safety. Before leaving definitively they wanted to reward the oaks whose protection, fidelity and discretion had been so precious to them until then.
- "We are ready to distribute the most brilliant favors to you," they said to the protective trees. Speak up and your wishes will be granted ”
A group of oaks cried: "The trees of the neighboring hills live happily because their leaves are thin and sparkling: we would like to have golden leaves".
The wind brought a harmonious sound of voices saying: "Our foliage is dull, give us crystal leaves. "
Finally a nightingale came to transmit the desires of the most distant oaks which demanded more tender, fragrant and thornless leaves.
In less than a second all the oaks obtained satisfaction. Only the rebellious tree, object of the hatred of the witches, retained its former foliage. Then the mocking Encantades made a wild circle around him, then moved away: they were avenged.
The next morning smugglers passed on the road and saw the dazzling golden leaves on which the rays of the sun were playing; one of them climbed the tree and passed to his comrades the precious metal he was picking with both hands. The smugglers filled their pockets, their bags and their coats, unmolested, then disappeared into the mountains.
The tramontana, which blew violently, made the crystal leaves fall and they broke. This Argentinian noise attracted a few goats which grazed in a nearby meadow. As they stretched out their noses towards the oaks with the fragrant leaves, the shepherd climbed on the trees and stripped them to satisfy his flock.
In the twinkling of an eye the oaks with their tender branches were absolutely denuded, while at their side the little oak spared by the spells alone retained its natural foliage. He aroused the jealousy of his proud neighbors who wasted away one after another.
Some time later, the encantades passed on the main road, going to Ria, and were consumed by the misfortune befalling the oaks whose complicity they had rewarded. They argued, blaming each other for such a disaster, exchanged blows and dispersed forever. This is how the country was delivered from the Encanladas who had no more power once separated.
And the little holm oak, which had shown itself to be so brave, was the object of a real cult on the part of the inhabitants of Ria, Villefranche and the surrounding villages. He grew up amid general veneration. They always refused to replace the oaks that had disappeared beside it.
