Ar Thúannan Rheine (Part 1)

Long ago, when the North Star rose in the south, all the peoples of the world were mortal. Everyone lived his measured time, and then left, realizing that his hour had come. But here's one trouble - the souls did not know where to go after death, and so they wandered for days, months, years, until they found their last refuge.

It was a pity to the Highest of these unfortunates, and they decided to choose one of them, the one for whom the path between that world and this one would be open, so that he could show the way to those who had passed away.

Agarad and Afadar went out to a high mountain at sunrise, and people with snakes stood before them.^[1]this is how dragars are called here;silently listening.

“My children! Choose the most worthy of you, the one who will be led the way out of Marraid, and he will be able to show it to those who have left the life of the world.

The snakes thought during the day, and the snakes thought during the night, and at dawn their leader came out and bowed his head.

"Father! It is a great honor to fulfill your request, but none of us can do it. You gave us wings so that we could fly from one end of the world to the other, like a thunderstorm, you gave us freedom, and we cannot refuse it.

There were no dissenters, but Agarad understood his children like no one else, and returned with nothing.

Three days people thought, and three nights people thought, and at dawn their leader came out and bowed his head.

"Father! You do us a great honor, but we cannot fulfill your request. You put fire into our hearts to ignite once a great flame and crumble into ashes - can we really leave your gift to create Creation, even once in a lifetime?

There were no dissenters, but Afadar understood his children like no one else, and returned with nothing.

Igrenna and Ilidas descended into the wide valley at sunrise, and the geartes with the dwarves stood before them, silently listening.

“My children! Is there anyone among you who desires that the way outside Marraid be opened for him, so that he can see off those who leave it forever?

Five days the dwarves thought, and five nights the dwarves thought, and at dawn their leader came out and bowed his head.

"Mother! We are ashamed to refuse you, but we cannot do otherwise. You created us like a vine that intertwines with everything that meets on the way - so what can we do if we tear each of those whom we see off from ourselves with a part of our heart?

There were no dissenters, but Igrenna understood her children like no one else, and returned with nothing.

Seven days the Jearts thought, and seven nights the Jearts thought, and at dawn their leader came out and bowed his head.

"Mother! We have no strength to refuse you, but we cannot agree either. Like drops of water, we dry up one by one, so how can one of us live, being far from the others?

There were no dissenters, but Ilidas understood her children like no one else, and returned with nothing.

Avetu came to the elves at sunrise, and said to them:

“My children! Will you find someone who can walk through Marride's fabric and help those who have left make their way to the end?"

Nine days the elves thought, and nine nights the elves thought, and at dawn three of them went out and did not bow their heads.^[2]beautiful parallelism, in modern versions for some reason it does not occur: usually everyone just exits, ... Continue reading.

There were three of their maidens; the braids were the first to reach the waist, and they were the color of the black velvet of the night. Her dark eyes are two bottomless wells: it is easy to fall in, but not to get out.

"Name yourself!" Aveta said.

“My name is Guataerim, Thick Mist,” she said. “All my life I have wanted to know what awaits us after death, and now you do us the great honor of allowing us to know both life and death. I will show everyone his path, and no one will deviate from it.

The braids of the second reached the knees, and they were the color of thick gold rye. Her blue eyes are a high bright sky: it is easy to take off, but how not to fall down.

"Name yourself!" Aveta said.

“My name is Leidahann, Bright Memory,” she said. “All my life I dreamed of seeing those who were close to me, but I left too soon, and now I can meet them again. I will lead everyone, and no one will get lost along the way.

The scythes of the third reached the ground, and they were the color of the ashes of only an extinct fire. Her deep eyes are a twinkling starry height: so far, so close.

"Name yourself!" Aveta said.

“My name is Seangorah, Light of the Soul,” she said. “I am unworthy of the honor that you do me, but I really want to help those who cannot find their last path. I am far from the best person to offer my help, but I promise that I will do everything in my power to ensure that every soul is where it should be.

And she came to the liking of Avet more than two others, for she was modest and pure in soul.

“Three of you left, but only one will receive our gift,” said Avetu. — Come to Kaev-nu-Fal^[3]Caemh-nú-Fhal, "Rock under the Sea"??? in three days, and then we will decide which of you is more worthy to receive it.

Three virgins came to Kaev-nu-Fal at the dawn of the third day, and all the High Ones met them.

“Fog lies over the sea,” said Avetu, “and the wind will not dispel it. So let each of you weave a thread of wind and fog, thin and strong, so that it can lead the soul through the Sea and not break under the burden of its thoughts.

Gwataerim fingered the mist with her fingers, weaved the wind into it, but that wind was too strong, and tore the drops of mist apart. Then Guataerim cut off a strand of her hair, blue-black, and tied the wind with it, and wove it with a silvery haze.

Leidahann caught the wind in handfuls and passed through the fog, but it was too thick and did not allow the wind to blow. Then Leidahann cut off the hem of her dress, wove it into thin threads, and stitched the fog with them, and let the wind pass through it.

Seangorakh sang with the wind, mourned with the fog, and her tears are gray flax, and her voice is silver silk; they intertwined among themselves and stretched into the distance, away beyond the window.

Evening came, and Avetu said to them:

"Show me your work!"

The first Guataerim came out and showed everyone her thread, the color of the dawn mist.

“Look, my thread is strong, and nothing will cut it!” She took out a sharply sharpened knife, hit the thread with it, and the knife split in two.

The second Leidahann came out and showed everyone her thread, the color of fresh milk.

“Look how smooth and soft my thread is, it won’t cut anyone!” - she wrapped it around her arm and pulled with all her might, and did not leave a trace of the thread on it.

The third Seangorah came out and showed everyone her thread, the color of white gold.

“I have nothing to boast about, lord,” she bowed her head. “And the knife cuts my thread, and it itself is far from being so soft as not to injure the skin ...”

Her sisters were proud, and Avetu wanted to say goodbye to her, but the sun went down - and the thread began to shine with starry silver, and the night became as bright as day.

The Higher Ones admired, and smiled at Avet, looking at Seangorah. But her sisters were offended and envied her.

Then Agarad came out and said:

“All three of you are worthy, but we could not determine the best. Come to Salea-oh-Ramar^[4]Selea-oi-Ramhàr, "Slope on the River". It is not very clear whether these are allegorical names of some real places, or ... Continue reading in five days, and then we will decide which of you will receive our gift.”