Reach for the Light

black tea, Story

The Lonely Water Spirit – Part Two: The Farmer’s Son

Go here to read part one.

The Farmer’s son called out to the water spirit and he raised his makeshift spear, ready to fight to the death. However, what appeared in front of him was not a fearsome warrior, but a beautiful woman. She had long flowing black hair and bright silver eyes. The farmer’s son was caught completely off-guard and he squeaked and dropped his spear in his surprise.

She was looking at him with her eyes widened and surprised. She looked like she had been crying, her eyes were red and puffy looking. The farmer’s son asked her, shocked, “Who are you? Are you being held captive by the water spirit? Don’t worry, I’ll definitely defeat it and save you!”

“Defeat the water spirit?” the woman asked in puzzlement, “Why would you want to do that?”

The boy then sat down on a ledge and told her all about his village’s troubles. He told her how the villager’s homes kept getting flooded and how they didn’t have much to eat and that it was fault of the evil and monstrous water spirit. “They say he is as tall as a mountain and that he has bull’s horn and crooked teeth. He captures and eats any human that enters this mountain. All those that come here are eaten never come back.”

To his surprise, upon hearing this, the woman besides him let out a peal of laughter. Her smile seemed to brighten the whole room and it was as if a ray of sun had come out of the gloom. She laughed and then said, “I had forgotten how foolish mortals could be, and so young warrior, you have come here to war with the water spirit?”
He eagerly stood up and told her that he was ready to fight to the death and that he would definitely defeat the monster and save her. She smiled at him once more, and then said, “I am afraid you are mistaken, I am not a captive of the Water Spirit, I am the water spirit.”

The boy gasped and leapt away from her in fear, bringing his spear up as if to defend from attack. She said, “Fear not, I will not harm you, my gallant young warrior. I will fulfill your request for less rain, on one condition.”

“You will?” he asked in surprise, then suspiciously, “What condition?”

“I will allow you and your mortal companions to leave my mountain unharmed, if you agree to return once every week to talk to me.” she replied.

“To talk to you”, he said puzzled, “but why?”

“It has been only a few months since my partner, the tree spirit died and I was so sad that it kept raining constantly. I want you to keep me company, so that I can distract myself from the loss. Plus, I had forgotten that humans could be so very amusing.” she said with a pleased smirk.

That said, she told him to go now and to take his companions with him. The farmer’s son was puzzled but happy. He walked back out of the mountain, waking his companions one by one as he went. When they reached the village, he sat down and told everyone about his deal with the spirit. And even though most of them protested, the farmer’s son insisted on keeping his word.

After that, each week he would trek to the mountain and talk with the water spirit. The water spirit slowly started to like him more and more, even teaching him about magic and introducing him to fairies, other spirits and the like. She taught him how to read and write, both in her language and the language of the humans. He wanted to learn how to fight so she hired a goblin to teach him. Like that, his visits each week, grew longer and longer, until he was barely in the village at all.

The farmer’s son grew up to become a famous warrior and a great scholar; he developed his village into a city and became its ruler. The water spirit loved him like a son and the weather around his city was always the best.

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