The Bride of the Water God

open Stories ID: 6336

Date Added: 2003-11-05 2:56 pm
Date Modified: 2003-11-07 4:55 pm
     

A long time ago, there was a time that was very bad for the people who inhabited these lands. Bulane, the Water God, had not sent any rain for many months. So slowly the rivers dried, first the small ones and then the big ones too, the lakes retired and the wells had no more water in them.
People began following the elephants, and digging everywhere, because these animals normally know where to look for water in dry times. So they dug where the rivers were and where the lakes had been, but the only thing they found was sand.

So, the great chief Rasenke decided that they had to look for water in another region, and he sent Mapopo, his first man, with a caravan of oxen which fetched big dried pumpkins and other things to carry the water in, food for the trip, and wheat and valuable objects he could exchange for water, if he had the luck of finding it.

Mapopo travelled for a long time. One day, he arrived at a very high mountain and from up there could see a small river coming down from the other side. He ran down the mountain and did not stop till he arrived to the river. But when he was almost drinking the water, an invisible hand blocked his head.

He could not believe it, but he ordered to all his men to fill up the pumpkins. But when they tried to do so, they could not get not a drop of that water. So Mapopo, desperate, called for the Water God.

- Sir, why don’t you let us drink?
- Mapopo, said the Water God, you have to come back with the daughter of your chief, princess Motsesa. I want her to be my bride, and then you will be able to drink all the water you want. But if she refuses, all the people will die of thirst in a few days.
- Sir, answered Mapopo, I will bring the message to my chief; but please, let us drink, otherwise the message will never arrive to its destination, because we will die before being able to arrive back to the village. I cannot speak for my chief; I am just a servant of his.
The God Bulane understood, so Mapopo and all of his men could drink water and fill up the pumpkins for all the trip back home. The Water God agreed that his promised wife could not suffer thirst.

The Chief Rasenke was not happy about giving his daughter Motsesa to the Water God, even though it was evident that there was no other solution. The girl left with a caravan full of gifts for Bulane.

The caravan arrived in the valley; the carriers left the gifts there and bade Motsesa farewell, and went sadly back to the village.

So Motsesa remained alone in the middle of all those big mountains, till darkness came and invaded the valley. She was frightened, and looked everywhere to find a good place to sleep, but she couldn’t see any shelter or any living being. She didn’t know what to do. The sky got darker and darker, and when the top of the mountains could not be seen any more, she became very frightened. So she screamed:

- I don’t know where to sleep!
- Sleep just here - answered a voice.
- Here? asked the girl.
- Just here - answered the mysterious voice.

There was nobody there. The princess, who was afraid of wild animals, of the chill and even of the voice who spoke her, stayed awake a long time before she could close her eyes. But she was so tired from the long trip, that finally she fell asleep.

When she woke up, she found herself inside a house, lying in a luxurious bed, and all around her were dishes filled with rich and delicious foods. Since she was hungry, she began to eat, and just as she finished every dish, some invisible hands took it away.

Later, when she felt hungry again, the same invisible hands brought her more food. And so she lived many days, with all she needed around her, but never seeing anybody: she only heard, sometimes, the mysterious voice.

A long time passed, and Motsesa had a child.
Some days later, the mysterious voice gave her permission to go and visit her parents, but just for a visit. When she came back to the mountain, Motsesa brought with her her small sister Senkepen, to be less alone in there.

One day she asked Senkepen to stay with the baby while she went to look for water. But when she was away, the baby began to cry: and Senkepen sang him a song to calm him down. Suddenly, the girl saw a beautiful and elegant man appearing in front of her; his clothes were so bright that she had to close her eyes.

- I am Bulane, the father of the baby - said the man -. Don’t sing any more absurd songs and give me my child. I will stay with him.

Bulane took the child, and the girl, very frightened, ran away. Then Motsesa was back and began sweeping the floor, not knowing that her sister was gone. So she saw Bulane, a very high and bright figure, with her son on his shoulders.
Even if she was very scared, she managed to ask him:

- Who are you and what are you doing with my son?
- I am his father, answered a familiar voice; this is why I have my baby on my shoulders. I am your husband, Motsesa. I am Bulane, the one that opens new paths. Some day I will put my son an armour and he will become a brave warrior who will defend his people, and will be king. I show new paths to the people. The servants of your father had found water because I told them where to look for it. Now I will show you my town. I want you to know, Motsesa, that you are married to a king!

Motsesa was shy, and looked around her: suddenly she saw that there were houses for everybody, that there were many people, sheep, oxen and goats, bringing baskets of food, milk and yoghurt from the mountain. When they saw her, everybody treated her with respect, saluted her and called her “our queen, mother of the prince". Motsesa, who did not expect the love that people showed to her, felt so happy that she cried in joy.

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Language(s) English, French, Spanish

Geographical origin Africa

Ethnic Group Tuareg

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