Page 66 - 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

The youngest brother was about to defend himself, when once again he was taken, mouth covered, and put in the forest where he had been left before. The brothers gave their father the real water and the King became twenty-five again physically and mentally. Every day after this, the King would say. "If I had my hands on my young? est son, I'd beat him for making me drink that salt water." This went on for one year and a day. On this day, the largest warship they'd ever seen entered the harbour. An officer was sent to seek out the King and bring him aboard the ship. The King went on board and was approached by a woman. She said, "You have found the water. King Sir?" The King replied, "Not myself, but my eldest son." The woman said, "Well, please find him and send him to me." The King returned home and spoke with his son, "There's a woman on board the ship who wants to see you." The woman had not revealed to the King what she wanted from his son. When the eldest son went to the ship, the woman asked him, "Was it you who found the 'wa? ter that rejuvenates' for your father?" He replied, "Yes." The woman then asked, "Where did you find it?" The eldest son made up a story as he didn't know where it was from. The woman answered, "It was not you who found the water. Tell your father, if I don't have the man who found the 'wa? ter that rejuvenates' within one hour, I'll call my army and destroy this entire city in a matter of ten minutes." The eld? est son went to see his brother and said, "It's you she wants to see." The second eldest son went on board the ship. He also made up a story about where he had found the water. The woman said, "It's not you who found the water either. Tell your fa? ther that he has half an hour to come up with the real person who found the water, or I shall destroy this city." The King confronted his sons and said, "So, you stole the 'water that rejuvenates' from your youngest brother. It was him who actu? ally found it." They replied, "Yes." The King asked, "Well, where is he?" They both didn't know where their brother was. Meanwhile, the youngest of the sons, after having heard a cannon shot from the ship, had come to shore. When his family left the castle to search for him, they found him and explained, "Hurry, go aboard the ship." The young man went aboard the ship. The woman asked, "Was it you who found the 'wa? ter that rejuvenates' for your father?" He replied, "Yes." She asked, "Where did you find it?" He answered, "I found it in a big black mountain in China!" She continued and asked, "How did you open the door?" He ex? plained, "Well, I said some words." She told him to go ahead and say the words. He Pere Anselme Chiasson said, "'C4zame, open up'...the door opens, and 'C6zame, close' and the door closes." The woman tapped him on the shoulder and said, "It is you who found the 'water that rejuvenates.' Come with me." She guided him into a bedroom, only to find the most beautiful little girl. The girl had been born a result of the night he'd slept with this woman. The girl was one year old. The woman said, "I was under a spell that I was to die while sleeping unless I could give birth to a child. Now I have deliv? ered a child like any other woman, and you are my man." The King came to see his youngest son, got down on his knees and begged for forgive? ness for all the suffering he'd caused him. He also offered him his crown and half his fortune. The woman said, "No. King Sir, you are mistaken. I believe I'm as rich as you are. All I wanted was your son." They waved good-bye and left. I have written two letters, but she never answered. THE END WE'LL GO TO GREAT LENGTHS FOR YOUR PARTY. f:. 'n''.'.'''mm''"''''-'' • -'-''''I''''''f'-:'''' You tell us how long you want your Party Sub • and we'll make it. PARTY SUBS or PARTY PLATTERS Call 539-7827 (SUBS) 403 Charlotte Street • SYDNEY (next to the Y.M.C.A.) 'UBUJRV'

Cape Breton's Magazine