Page 63 - L'eau qui rajeunit / The Fountain of Youth: Told in Acadian French by Marcellin Hache, as collected by Pere Anselme Chiasson and then retold in English by Rosie Aucoin

ISSUE : Issue 64

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/8/1

k bord d' la fr'gade. Alle a dit, "C'est toi qu' a trouv' l'eau qui rajeunit, pour ton p6re?" "Oui." "Qu'oCi c' tu I'as pris?" "Bi'n," i' dit, "j' I'ai pris' dans une grosse montagne noire, dans la Chine." A' dit, "Comment c't'as fait pour ouvrir la porte?" "Bi'n," i' dit, "la porte se rouv'e par des paroles qui sont dites." A' dit, "Dites-les voir." "Bi'n," il a dit, "'C'zame, rouvre-to??,' la porte se rouv'e, 'C'zame, ferme-toi,' la porte se farme." A' 'i a tap6 su' I''paule, alle a dit, "C'est toi qu' a trouv6 l'eau qui rajeu? nit." A' dit, "Viens par icitte." A' I'a conduit dans une chambre k lit, c' qu'avait 1'. la plus jolie p'tite fille qu'alle avait mis' au monde. qu'alle avait eue la soiree qu'il avait couch' avec eile. qu'alle avait mis' au monde. qu' av? ait un an. Alle a dit. "Moa j''tais enchant'e dans ce chiteau-li pour mouri endormie. hormis que j' peux mett'e un enfant au monde. P'is k c't' heure. j' su's d'livr'e comme une au? tre fille. p'is." a' dit, "t'es mon houme." L', le roa s'a ch't' a g'noux, aux pieds d' son gargon, p'is i' 'i a d'mand' des mille pardons pour tous les martyrs qu'il' aviont faits, p'is i' 'i a offri sa cou? ronne et la mo'qui4 d' sa fortune. Alle a dit, "Non." A' dit, "Monsieur le roa," a' dit, "tant qu' vous m' m'prisez, j' crois qu' j' su's aussi riche comme vous. Tout c' que j' voulais, c'est vot'e gargon." I' 'i avont souhait' s'en avont 't'. "goodbye" p'is i' Moa, 'i ai 6crit deux lett'es, mais m'a pas r'pondu. "L'eau qui rajeunit" was collected by P're Anselme Chiasson on August 15,1957, when Marcellin Hache was 78. Our thanks to Ro? nald LaBelie, Centre d'etudes acadiennes, Moncton, for providing a copy of the transcript of this story. The Fountain of Youth continued from page 59 going to chase him away." They then pro? ceeded to take the youngest son. covering his mouth with a handkerchief so nobody would hear him scream, and brought him 200 feet into the forest, leaving him there. Although he was the King's son, he found himself poor and with nothing to eat. His brothers had left with their frigate, lots of money, and on their way to search for the "water that rejuvenates." They trav? elled from place to place, speaking to people who knew of the "water that rejuve? nates," but nobody knew where it was. Meanwhile, the youngest son had spent the night under a tree. The next morning when he woke up. a woman appeared in front of him while he was saying his prayers. She asked. "Do you know me?" He replied. "No. I've never seen you before." She said. "No, you've never seen me before but I'm your godmother who died when you were still a baby in a cradle." She explained. "Your two brothers went out to try and find the 'wa? ter that rejuvenates' but they will never find it. I will tell you how to find this BETTENS CONSTRUCTION""' • ( General Contractlrigj Residential & Commercial FOUNDATIONS • FLOORS REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS RAISING OF BUILDINGS Serving Cape Breton Since 1929 849-6566 849-7639 (FAX) • (PHONE) 157 MAIN STREET, GLACE BAY BIA 4Z1 Stay Tuned through the Summer! "Welcome to Cape Breton" 9:00 am to 10:00 am FEATURING • Traditional Music Local Cape Breton Information • Tourist Destinations & • Special Events CJCB AM Stereo- Cape Breton's Super Station!

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