This continues where we left off last week….
Bright Sunbeam locked away her silken robe and her scarlet boots in a chest and began her new life as a simple fisherman’s wife. Before long, a beautiful daughter was born to them. The child was named Akkanidi. Their home and hearth was always warm and bright even on days the Sun never showed up. They were poor but happy. One day the fisherman said to his wife, “I’m going to the Black Varaka tonight. There is a splendid birch there which will make us some nice winter boots.”
His wife begged him not to go for she feared the deep, dark swamp. But the fisherman insisted and set out at dusk. The marsh, in the dying light of the day, looked sinister and gloomy. He soon found a smooth, white birch with deep circles. When he took out his knife to cut the bark, he saw a pair of blue eyes in there.
Two arms reached out for him from the tree trunk and a hoarse voice whispered, “Now you will marry me, fisherman!” And out stepped Misty Shadow from behind the tree, with pale blue wood smoke trailing behind her.
“No... no, no,” cried the fisherman” I have a wife and child back home”
“Forget all that! You will now be with us, my daughter Keen Eyes, my sons Mossy Clump and Burning Stump and build us a home right here!” hissed Misty Shadow.
At that very moment, the blue eyes jumped to his chest from the tree while Mossy Clump held his right leg and Burning Stump clung to his left. They made him build a log hut for them to hide from the Sun, for Misty Shadow was afraid of her father. He had to fill the cracks in between with mud so that no sunlight would enter.” Now go and get some food for us!” she ordered.
The fisherman went home and told his wife what had happened. “You didn’t listen to me. Now we must both serve my evil sister,” his wife sighed. “Come, let us catch some fish.”
When the fisherman returned to the marsh with the food, the children grabbed it and ate greedily, chomping the last of the fish bones. “More... more...” they screeched. So the fisherman had to go back again. His wife made some fish broth and together they carried the pots to the swamp. This continued every day and the fisherman had to give all the fish he caught to Misty Shadow and her children. And his own family remained hungry. Both fisherman and Sunbeam grew gaunt and weak. They looked like an old couple.
The Sun God summoned his first born Peivalke. “Go and see how our Bright Sunbeam is doing.” Peivalke came to earth and searched for his sister but did not see her. He flew back to his father and reported what he saw.
“Bright Sunbeam is nowhere near the lake. All I could see was an old couple carrying pots of broth and going to the Black Varaka. There is a log hut there, all covered with mud and slime.” The Sun guessed what had happened. He sent his son Black Tempest to the swamp to blow away the mud hut. Misty Shadow’s children ran out and hid in the mire while she stood exposed. The Sun came out and burnt her with his fiery gaze. Her blue-white plait withered away, her arms became toad’s feet and her deep blue eyes became dull. Her belly became swollen and her head bulged out.
“You have now ceased to be my daughter. From now on you shall be the marsh witch Oadz hated and feared by all!” he cursed.
When the fisherman and his wife came with the food, the hut had disappeared. At the sight of frightful Oadz, they ran away as fast as they could. They continued to live by the lake and in time, Akkanidi grew to be a beautiful maiden.