THE GROAC'H OF LOK ISLAND
The Dream
Source
Everyone who knows the land of the church (Lannilis) knows that it is one of the most beautiful parishes in the bishopric of Léon. There, there have always been, in addition to fodder and wheat, orchards that produce apples sweeter than the honey of Sizun, and plum trees whose flowers all become fruit. As for young girls to marry, they are all wise housekeepers, according to their parents!…
In ancient times, when miracles were as common in Lower Brittany as baptisms and burials are today, there lived in Lannilis a young man named Houarn Pogamm and a young girl named Bellah Postik. Both were cousins in the fashion of the country, and their mothers, when they were very young, had raised them in the same cradle, as one does with children who are destined to one day be husbands and wives, with the permission of God. So they grew up loving each other with all their hearts. But their parents had died one after the other, and the two orphans, who had no inheritance, were forced to enter service with the same master.
They could have found themselves happy, but lovers are like the sea which always complains.
"If we only had enough to buy a small cow and a lean pig, said Houarn, I would rent a piece of land from our master, the priest would marry us, and we would go and live together."
“Yes,” replied Bellah, with a heavy sigh, "but we live in such hard times! Cows and pigs rose in price again at the last Ploudalmézeau fair; for sure, God no longer cares how the world is doing."
"I'm afraid we will have to wait a long time!" the young boy continued, "because it's never me who finishes the bottles when I drink at the inn with friends."
“A long time,” replied the young girl, “because I couldn’t hear the cuckoo sing."
These complaints began again every day until Houarn finally lost patience. One morning he came to Bellah who was winnowing wheat in the threshing floor, and told her that he wanted to leave to seek his fortune.
The young girl was very distressed at this news, and did everything she could to hold him back; but Houarn, who was a resolute boy, would not listen to anything.
“The birds,” he said, “go ahead of them until they come across a field of grain, and the bees until they find flowers to make their honey; a man cannot have less reason than flying beasts. I too want to look everywhere for what I lack, that is to say, the price of a cow and a lean pig. If you love me, Bellah, you will not oppose a project which will hasten our marriage."
The young girl understood that she had to give in, and although her heart was turning, she said to Houarn:
"Go, in the care of God, since it is necessary; but, first, I want to share with you the best of my parents’ heritage."
Source: La Groac’h de l’Île du Lok from the French book Contes et légendes de Basse-Bretagne published in 1891.
Hello, my name is Vincent Celier.
I am writing translations of folk tales that I found in public domain French books, so that people who do not understand French may enjoy them too.
This tale starts slowly with the introduction of two of the main characters.
They are a couple of poor people that want to get married, but have nothing that would allow them to live comfortably.
So, the boy decided to seek fortune.
We still don't know what a "Groac'h" is.
If you have read my posts for more than a week, you may remember that I showed an interesting tree in the back of our building, a week ago.
Yesterday morning, I saw that there were workers around the tree. They told me that the top of the tree could fall any day on our building, so they needed to remove it.
I did not stay very long to see their work, but I know how they do the job. They cut the tree in short lengths starting at the top.
And yesterday afternoon, I saw that they had finished the job and removed all trunk parts and the branches.
I liked this tree as it was, but I understand that safety comes first.
-- Vincent Celier