Aodh son of Aodh, a fisherman on the island of Oronsay, was a day in his small boat, driven by the oil lazily in the waters of the bay. He spent most of the time lying on the deck and do nothing, occasionally trying to catch one of those fish that were hiding in the sandy bottom. The summer drew to a close and already could feel the pace of autumn, would soon be whitewashed and painted golden algae and rust the moors and hills. The bay of golden sand where the ducks were to spend the winter: it was the preferred place of Aodh, along with that cluster of islands by narrow creeks, home to large schools of fish from the belly silvery.
The boat glided slowly toward the shallows, then the current dragged her towards the open sea, in the blue waters where the seals were playing. To prevent the boat had to face strong winds Aodh decided to tack, but as soon as he puts his hand at the oars saw that he had committed an imprudence, because a gust of wind pushed him hopelessly out to sea, at the mercy of currents.
When night fell, threatening clouds lowered over the sea and a strong wind whipped the small boat, making her wince painfully. The hills of the island had now disappeared from the horizon: no one had seen the boat away from shore, Aodh vanish over the far strip of land. Huge waves hit the hull and fragile, when it seemed now that the boat had to succumb to the storm, a flock of oystercatchers flew, circling the boat. And where they were flying, the sea calmed and the wind had no power over the waves. The birds went with the boat until dawn, when a green island on the horizon appeared. Woodcock rushed toward the mainland, while Aodh managed to steer the boat to the calm waters of the creeks, where there were no waves or currents.
Young landed on a beach of fine sand, pulled the boat in dry and stopped to rest. In the peaceful atmosphere of the place still, almost ghostly. Aodh was afraid that it exceeded the boundaries of the world and then, as he had learned from the old fishermen of his land, sank his knife into a small hill that was near. So, he had been taught, you can keep at bay the forces of evil.
There was suddenly a melodious voice that came from a girl sitting on a rock. In life her, Aodh had never seen a face so beautiful and sweet, surrounded by a forest of golden hair falling to the snow-white shoulders. The girl and called Aodh fell in love with her.
years passed and his love for the girl was growing day by day. Aodh felt happier than it had ever been. That place gave off a really infinite peace, with the sun always shone high in the sky and no shadow he came to obscure his serenity.
But one day, Aodh began to dream of his homeland, the island of Oronsay. In vain she tried to dispel that thought. Each time it reappeared in his mind more insistently, until, one day, he returned to the beach where he had entrusted his small boat to the gentle caress of the tides, decided to divide the land that had almost forgotten.
"Your wish may not come true" said the girl, having Aodh revealed his intentions. " Seven years have you lived in Tir-nan-og, the Land of Eternal Youth from which there is no return" "My boat is still in excellent condition and can sail," replied the young . "Oh my love . Can not lead you away from the shore. Will have to return, or will be dragged into the abyss. "
Aodh including all of a sudden that THAT ' island of eternal youth, immersed in peace and silence, was nothing but a prison, a prison that alienated them from the world. But the girl did not reveal the dagger stuck into the hillside, which would allow him to regain his freedom and return to his beloved island.
The next morning he went to the beach, decided to put the boat into the sea. " Come with me until that point there," said the beautiful maiden. "Right over there, and not after, you and I can get" , replied that entering the small boat.
But when they had reached the cape, Aodh veered out to sea, riding securely the waves pushing the boat to the east. Meanwhile, the girl sitting in the stern and began to sob. Aodh tried to console her and to her surprise, she noticed that every tear that flowed from his eyes seemed to lose some 'of its beauty.
Navigation on the sea in storm lasted three days and three nights. At the dawn of the fourth day finally appeared on the horizon the outline of the island of Oronsay. Aodh drove the boat in the safe waters of the bay and family, impatient, had to go ashore. "Come, my beloved" cried the girl. "I'll take you to my house on the hill, where no evil spell can hurt us." But the girl did not answer. He took refuge among the rocks, wrapped in her shawl, and turned his face towards the sky, where the gulls circling and then just above her, where oystercatchers with their beaks rummaging among the rocks. Aodh called for the last time, then went to offset the shawl, and took her in his arms.
But as soon as his eyes fell on the girl's face Aodh shuddered his beloved lost the features of a beautiful young girl to become an old wrinkled and misshapen.
"Oh Aodh son of Aodh" cried the woman. "Only by returning to the Green Island of Eternal Youth can I find my youth and keep it for ever! ".
understand the power of ancient legends, Aodh felt lost. Those who did return from the Magic lost not only youth and beauty, but also happiness. Aodh So he took her hand and came up with his beloved boat to find her on the Lost Land of Happiness. The fishermen of the islands say that, from time to time, a small boat plows still the horizon in search of Tir-nan-og, the Land of Eternal Youth. But, as it is sighted, a strong wind rises and the island mysteriously disappeared. The sailors then rush to lower the sails, apparition because they have learned to recognize the signal of an impending storm.
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