The Legend of the Angel's Lock of Hair

"Mae Govannen. How can I help you?" the innkeeper asked.

"Mae Govannen," the man in the hooded cloak bowed, "I'm looking for a place to stay and some hot food.

" "The food was best at my place, and the inn is two doors down. Would you like some beer with dinner?

" "Yes, please."

The hooded man moved to the bench where one of the guests was sitting.

"Mae Govannen man adan. May I?

" "Mae Govannen. Please. You're from far away, aren't you?

" "You could say that," he smiled, "I'm a storyteller.

" "I'm a messenger on a journey. I only hear official news all the time. Can you tell me a fairy tale for entertainment? Just to shorten the wait for my food.

" "A fairy tale? Hmm, my legends aren't fairy tales. But good. Have you heard the story about the angel's lock of hair?

" "No, what's that story?"

"It's an extraordinary story, and despite its age, it's still full of mysteries and ambiguities.

" "A long, long time ago," the storyteller began, lighting his pipe, "in a time before elves, a certain land was ruled by Princess Dae, a woman of dazzling beauty. Her parents died in war, and despite her young age, she became the sole heir to the throne. She was very brave and intelligent. Above all, she loved the forest. Despite being a woman, she could wield a sword and shoot a bow as well as many knights. She was also quick and agile, and could move and track silently. Hence her name—Dae, meaning shadow. Her greatest dream was to achieve eternal life.

" "One day," the hooded man blew a few smoke rings from his pipe, "Dae went on her daily walk in the forest. She sat down on a rock at the edge of the clearing to rest. Suddenly, she noticed a beautiful flower growing in the middle of the clearing. She walked closer and examined it. It was a lily of extraordinary beauty, shimmering gold in the sunlight. Dae was so enchanted by its beauty that she decided to return that evening to see the flower in the starlight.

"Am I boring you?" the storyteller asked suddenly. "I'm sure you'd prefer a more historical tale about a battle or a political pact...

" "No, no, it's very interesting," the messenger said, stifling a yawn, "but a whole day in the saddle drains my energy. However, I want to hear this interesting story to the end.

" "Very well then...

" "The princess returned at night," he continued, "to admire the flower. When she reached the clearing, she saw the lily, which, in the moonlight and starlight, gleamed with silver, not gold. Dae was speechless with delight. She took the flower in her hands and plucked it. She decided that the forest was within her princess's territory, so she could afford it. She took the magic lily to the castle and placed it in a vial of water.

"The next day," the storyteller continued, blowing smoke rings, "the lily looked just as fresh. The princess admired it as much as she wanted, day and night. It continued like this for the next few days, but after a week, the lily began to wither. This worried Dae greatly. She decided to go to the forest clearing at night to see if any more flowers like it were growing there. When she finally reached the spot where the flower grew, she saw an incredible creature. Very, very beautiful, but also very, very sad. "Who are you?" Dae asked. "I'm an angel," the creature replied. "Why are you crying?" "Someone took my favorite flower," was the reply. Then the princess told the truth, that she had taken the lily and that it was withering. "She's withering, and I with her. We're both pining for her," the angel said. "Please give her back to me, and I'll replant her, and she won't wither. In return, I can give you something else, something you dream of." "Here

you go, dinner. Bon appétit," the innkeeper served the food.

"Hannon le," the storyteller thanked.

"Just a moment, before we part," the messenger said. "What happened next?

" "Hmm," the storyteller smiled to himself and blew one last smoke ring. "Perhaps I'll tell you while we eat...

" Dae, tempted by the offer, handed the flower to the angel. She watched impatiently as the strange creature planted the flower, and it instantly came to life. She couldn't wait for the angel's gift. When the creature finished, she asked Dae if she knew what she was dreaming of. The princess replied that she dreamed of immortality. The angel turned to the princess and said, "You should always be careful with your dreams. However, if you are sure, I give you a lock of my hair. With it, you and your descendants will achieve longevity. In this way, you will create a new race—brave, wise, agile, forest-loving, and long-lived. You will become the first female elf." The strange creature cut off a lock of her blond hair, handed it to Dae, and disappeared. The princess returned to her castle and placed the lock of hair in the same vial that had previously held the lily.

"And that's all?" the messenger asked in disbelief, watching the hooded man put away the trick. "But how did it end?"

"Soon afterward," the storyteller licked his fingers, "Dae met a human, Nimdil, with whom she fell in love. She took the name Edhel, which today means "elf," and moved with her beloved to the forest, where she met the angel. There she lived peacefully for a very, very long time. Her family grew and became a powerful forest-dwelling race, named after the princess's nickname. Legend has it that Dae's descendants still possess a vial with a lock of golden hair and guard it fiercely. And Dae herself? When her husband died, she was in the prime of life. She lived for a long time afterward, but grief and longing poisoned her life until she finally withered like a flower.

"Hannon le," said the messenger, "now it will be easier for me to set out on my long journey."

The messenger licked his plate clean and lifted a mug of beer to his lips. "Something doesn't seem right here," he thought. As he set down the empty vessel, he glanced at the storyteller, wanting to ask him something. But he was surprised to find no one on the other side of the bench. Only an empty plate lay, and on it gleamed a single golden hair.