Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 23, 1912.djvu/122

100 In the morning the son mounts his horse, takes the two lion-cubs, and goes. He goes until he reaches the konak of the old woman. "Good evening, little mother," he says. "God's blessing upon you, my son," she replies. "Where are you going?" "I am going to get some of the Water of Life for my mother. She is ill," he answered. "Oh, my son, you are deceiving her," she exclaimed. "I am going, whether or no." Then the old woman says,—"Son, whatever advice I have given you heretofore, you have followed, and you returned safely, but this time you will go and not return. Whoever has gone on that errand has never returned!" "Why not, little mother?" he asks. The old woman replies,—"You have to go and put your pitcher before the mouth of the stream, and you will sleep for seven days and seven nights. A serpent, a scorpion, a devil, and a wild beast will come and destroy you; there is no escape possible."

"Let whatever is to happen, happen," said the man. "I will go, and God will be with me." Then he takes his lion-cubs, and goes. He goes until he reaches the fountain of the Water of Life. He sets his pitcher in front of the fountain. He is overcome with sleep; he falls from his horse. He remains asleep for seven days and seven nights. A serpent comes; a scorpion comes; a wild beast comes; the lions tear them piecemeal. When the seven days and seven nights are over, the young man awakes. He sees that the lion-cubs are covered with blood. He takes them, and gives them a good washing. He fills his pitcher with the Water of Life, puts it on his horse, and returns. They return to the old woman's konak, and put up there for the night. The old woman asks,—"Have you brought it?" "Indeed I have," he replies. But the old woman says,—"It is not you who have brought it. God and the lion-cubs guarded you, or you would not have returned with it."

The young man goes to sleep. The old woman empties the Water of Life from the pitcher, and fills it with some other water. The young man is ignorant of it. In the morning he puts it on his horse, and goes and says to his mother, and says,—"Mother, lo! I have brought you the Water of Life!" His mother takes it, and drinks, and cries,—"There! my soul rests. I shall grow stronger now."