Page 33 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

under your treatment. I’ll help you. Here comes the beast to

steal your soul. I can hide you». The shaman girl says, «What
about the village? Who will help the people there?»
— Don’t worry, I’ll help them too.
The fox deity whispered something to the rock. The Frog, now
alive, swallowed the shaman girl. Then it became the rock again. The
shaman girl found herself in the Lower World with forests growing,

rivers flowing and mountains rising. Looks like those on the earth
but still different. The mountains are covered with gold fog and in
the rivers gold water is running. The girl sat down into the grass and
looked at it close. Under a closer look each blade of grass and every
leaf showed gold too, even vibrating in the wind like a string. And
there came a soft groan. The girl turned round, then again —
not a living soul around. And the groan was getting louder, making
the girl’s heart stop with pity. The girl got up and went to see who it

was groaning so piteously. Down to the river she spotted a faint green
seedling, working its way up in the gold grass, pleading, «Water me!
Water me!» The girl rushed to the river, pulled a double handful of the
fluid gold and sprayed over the plant. No way. The gold grass even
grew thicker and the tiny green stalk got droopy. The shaman girl
cried and her tears dropped on the ground. There it was, a miracle

— the plant got up. In no time it was long and strong. And then the
flowers appeared , twenty snow white lilies. So happy the girl was
that she laughed loudly. Then she heard a voice say, «Thank you.
You saved me. What a wonderful kind soul you have! The beast
will never get it. Wait till I lose my bloom and the seed ball is ripe.
Then pick me and go back to your country. When you see the beast,
drop me on the ground to look what is on». The girl followed the
flower’s words. She waited till the seeds were ripe, picked the flower

and was about to come back. But where was the way out? She didn’t
know. Suddenly something red flashed in the gold forest. It was the fox
deity. It ran up to the girl, saying, «The Frog told me you have to come
back now. Follow me, I’ll get you out». The shaman girl obeyed and
followed the fox, but she was still in her doubts. Where is the way out?
Then the Frog was alive again. It opened its mouth and let them out

to the ground. And at a moment’s notice it turned into the rock again.
Hardly had the girl moved a step, the beast, sleeping nearby,
started turning one way and another. It smelt the girl at a distance,
rose on its thick paws and rushed to the mountain. Its running
made the ground wave and its jumping made the black forest moan
and groan. The girl saw the beast coming, baring its claws to get
her soul. But no fear. She dropped the gold flower under its feet. And

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