Legends on the banks of the Sarno River

Legends on the banks of the Sarno River.

The road took us to the small picturesque town of Sarno in the Campania region.
 with narrow medieval streets with the ancient church of San Matteo of the 10th century, and the ruins of the castle of Count Sarno. The rainy autumn weather was not conducive to walking, so we stayed in a small hotel with a magnificent view of the surroundings and Mount Vesuvius from the terrace and went to a tavern for a snack.  On the wall hung the coat of arms of the town, crowned with the crown "The Griffin towers over three mountains, among which rivers flow", the Sarno River originates here, directing its waters to Polmpei and the Bay of Naples.
 There was a woman with a guitar in the corner of the hall, not a young woman with rough features, who was telling her story in a low, rough voice, occasionally casually plucking the strings and humming a long song. There were several apparently casual visitors among the audience, and it looked like her two grandchildren, who, however, went about their business without paying attention to her stories. Or they already knew these stories by heart.  From time to time she interrupted the story to wet her throat with a sip of grog. A cigarette was smoking in the ashtray.
 When we appeared, she casually nodded at our greeting, as if we had known each other for a long time. She seemed to have finished one story and, after taking a break, began another, perhaps especially for us. Although she did not sing loudly, she was clear enough and in silence we listened with interest to the whole story, after which she left after the grandchildren. After dinner, we briefly looked at the maps of our further route, and paid. The bill for dinner was very modest. When asked who the actress was, the bartender shrugged and replied: Gabriella, sometimes she comes in with her grandchildren.
That's what she told me that night.

Legends on the banks of the Sarno River.

1. In the evenings by the campfire, under the soft whisper of the waves, the storyteller Gabriella weaves her ballads. A ship full of human hopes and fears leaves the port like a ghost. Only the captain and the navigator know the secret of his journey. The silence of the crowd is broken by the hoarse groan of the market – three beats, like three parting sighs, rushing to the shore. But the sea voyage is overshadowed by the wrath of the gods and the whim of fate. The Gorgon is furious and grumbles at Poseidon, who has sped off in a stormy chariot. And the darkness opened over the sea, the storm sent waves into the mountains, throwing the boat like a chip into the foam embrace. The heavens opened up with torrents of rain. The captain and crew, the passengers, all found themselves in the salty depths. A few escaped on fragile boats, the rest were scattered by the elements. At dawn, the Pirates followed them to the wreckage, taking advantage of the meager goods, and found among the wreckage pitiful servants and two children, miraculously surviving in a barrel, like a valuable cargo, they were picked up on a pirate ship.

2. In Greece, the captives, as well as the loot, were auctioned off. The sullen pirate, at the expense of his share of the loot, left the children with an old fisherman, pouring him a handful of coins and telling him to feed and take care of the orphans. He hoped for a ransom, but hope was fading like smoke. The fisherman took care of the children, but the war mercilessly destroyed their fate. Alex and Felicia, orphaned, followed the traveling artists, becoming brother and sister to each other. An old man, with a guitar in his hands, was extracting sad melodies from the instrument, and his grandchildren were hovering nearby, showing performances. His wife sang songs, for which the audience generously presented them with coins and food. The granddaughters were wonderfully beautiful, and the younger grandchildren were twins, according to legend, the children of a centaur and an Amazon. One was a beautiful young man who played the pipe, the other was a mighty strong man who looked like a mythical father. A cloth skin was made for them, and they represented a centaur, moving with grace and strength, as if they were a single whole, causing amazement to the audience. As time passed, the children grew up. So the orphaned artists, along with Alex and Felicia, were abandoned by fate and ended up on the shores of Sarno.

3. By a whimsical fate, this group of artists found shelter in a luxury villa near Pompeii. The owner, Pliny, a retired soldier, received them for debts, but condescended to their talent, allowing them to perform from time to time. His devoted housekeeper, Gabriela, took care of them like a mother, and thank Jupiter for this mercy. Sometimes Pliny's nephew, Gaius, came to the villa from the capital. He quickly found a common language with the artists, and even became close to Alex, taking him to training sessions. Together they wandered through the picturesque hills and wooded shores, sometimes listening to the stories of experienced hunters and fishermen around the campfire. During the day, the artists worked in the villa on household chores, and in the evenings they performed, some playing the kithar, others singing and dancing leisurely. The audience enthusiastically accepted the scenes about the Centaur and the Greeks who met the warlike Amazons. Guy, fascinated by Felicia, could not take his eyes off her dance, and sometimes he danced himself. One day Felicia pointed out the striking resemblance between the young men. Alex and Guy couldn't help but agree: only one tanned under the southern sun, while the other retained his aristocratic pallor.

4. In the shade of the spreading trees, like nymphs, three maidens strolled among the fragrant flowers. Birds could be heard singing, and light dresses fluttered in the wind. A melodious pipe was playing in the grove, but the treacherous Centaur was going to capture them. His eyes burned with a playful fire, and the terrified maidens darted away. Only Felicia hesitated, and the Centaur grabbed her, intending to carry her into the thicket. But the Greek Alex, having entered into a fight with the monster, forced him to release his prey. The centaur blew a horn and rode off into the forest. Felicia and Alex's eyes met, and there was tenderness and gratitude in them. However, two Amazons with drawn swords had already crept up on the Greek, and two athletes were trying to grab the dancing Amazon Felicia. Guy, as if hypnotized by the rhythm of the dance, plunged into the world of myths and adventures, where the line between reality and fiction was blurred.

5. In the early morning, girls with jugs from neighboring villas gathered at the fountain. Girls with flowers, humming softly, wove wreaths and bouquets. From the harbor, merchants with rare goods appear. The guys in turbans brought a chest, its walls open on the sides. There are three beauties with veiled faces on the podium under a canopy.  They are in light shiny outfits, performing an oriental dance.  A respectable gentleman, like a greedy demon, closes the chest and takes it away with him.  Next, they open the curtain of a large drawer, there is a statue covered with a cloth. When the cloth falls off, the figure of Apollo appears, a gray-haired old man with a stick, begins to talk to the statue, the statue of Apollo comes to life and dances a strange dance, finally covering his head with a cloth.  The servants close the box and direct it to a rich villa.  The elder predicts bad changes. 
 Naughty boys, teasing and quarreling between mobs, staged a fun leapfrog. The girls, laughing, pulled them apart. The boys and girls danced in pairs, and the kids repeated their movements. Suddenly, startling everyone, a couple dressed as centaurs appeared. But the girls surrounded him with flowers and subdued the monster with a wreath of dream grass. They put a wreath on his head, harnessed him to a cart with babies and rolled him around in a circle. An old man with a staff, surrounded by boys, approached the fountain. Felicia respectfully poured water from the jug into the Elder's flask. In gratitude, he predicted favorable changes for her. The boys jostled noisily, circling around him. But he raised his hand to stop their antics, and an unknown force whirled the boys around until they fell to the ground, huddled together in complete disbelief. The elder covered his eyes with his hand for a moment and raised it high up, predicting a storm, thunder and lightning, smoke and flames... Everyone needed to run, but people weren't listening to him., smoke and flame ... Everyone needs to escape, but the people do not listen.

6. On an ivy-covered veranda overlooking the bay, the venerable citizens of the city of Pompeii sat. Pliny and his friend Maecenas were having a leisurely conversation, drowning in soft armchairs. Pliny intended to send the artists to a celebration hosted by a Patron of the Arts. Himself, he and his nephew Guy went hunting in the wild thickets of the Sarno coast. While Pliny and the Patron were contemplating the marble statue of Apollo, Gaius, crowned with a laurel wreath, golden curls, posed for the artist for a painting. An old man appeared with a prediction, he with a shadow of anxiety on his face, informs that Gaius is in danger while hunting. Guy just grinned, deciding to deceive fate, offered Alex to switch places. Alex, powdered his face with white, dressed in a purple toga, with a wreath on his head, and, sitting in the Apollo chair, he is ready to treat his friends with wine from the barrel of the old cellar. Uncle Pliny, suspecting nothing, sent Guy and the artists to the villa of a Patron of the Arts, and he, full of hunting excitement, accompanied by Alex, went to the shores of Sarno. Meanwhile, Gabriela and the servants were decorating the villa, placing dishes of juicy fruits on the tables. By evening, the aromas of blooming roses and oleander were intertwined with the tantalizing smells of delicious dishes. Soon the Owner returned from hunting with his "nephew," and their story is overshadowed by the events of the hunt. Hunters, blowing horns, made their way through forest trails, chasing game. But the forest spirit, a Fawn, became angry and, scaring away the animals, sent an enraged boar straight at Uncle Pliny. Alex's nephew, without hesitation, rushed to his uncle's defense and repelled the attack of the ferocious beast. A well-aimed blow from his spear had scared away the wild boar, but the brave man himself was now limping slightly. Uncle, touched to the depths of his soul, thanked Alex cordially for saving him, unaware of the hidden substitution. However, only a couple of well-fed pheasants were brought from the hunt.

7. His old friends arrived at Pliny's villa directly from the ship: the rich Gordian with his beautiful daughter Emilia, the important nobleman Donkor and his wife, their young pupils, the captain of the ship and the nimble young sailor Boy ruddy. After greeting each other, the old friends began to exchange news.…And then they went to the gallery, where the marble Apollo shone in the flickering light of the torches. The cabin boy carefully placed a carved casket on the table, and a chameleon came to life in its gems, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. The cabin boy sat the lizard on his shoulder and gave it a juicy date. Soon the girls were dancing, their outfits echoing the chameleon, sparkling with gems. Then they showed an Egyptian dance. Emilia and Alex, intoxicated by mutual attraction, soon merged into a single dance. The cabin boy quickly became friends with Alex, and he showed him the villa. The cabin boy could not sleep for a long time, sensitively feeling the trembling of the earth, as if a premonition of impending changes.
Donkor and his wife, with bitterness etched into their hearts, told about the terrible shipwreck. At the moment when the elements raged, their youngest daughter, along with the servants, disappeared into the raging waves. They traveled all over the coast in inconsolable search for their beloved daughter. Gabriela, unable to hold back her tears, listened to this sad story, and thought about Felicia, who was now with the artists at the Patron's villa. The next day, the guests were expected at a celebration at the Patron's Theater.

 8. The evening at the villa of the Patron was drowned in the flames of a bonfire, around which servants and artists indulged in a meal. Felicia and Guy danced with passion, and their shadows, as if in concert, wove their own bizarre dance. The next day, fanfare thundered in the arena of the Maecenas Theater, announcing the arrival of distinguished guests. The boys and girls joined hands and danced in a circle, but suddenly a formidable Centaur appeared. Seduced by the beauty of the dancing maidens, he drew the Amazons into his wild dance. The cabin boy, teasing the monster, caused a burst of laughter from the crowd and deftly flew up on his back. The athlete, risking his life, saved the girl, but was immediately surrounded by angry Amazons. The Greeks and Amazons came together in a fierce dance, their movements full of grace and strength. The stage burst into color as Felicia and Guy whirled in a whirlwind of dancing. In the end, the Greeks won. Guy, fascinated by the beauty of the girl, to the cheers of the crowd, lifted the Amazon Felicia in his arms and carried her triumphantly through the arena.
 The Prefect did not dislike this gesture, and a threat flashed in his eyes, noting that the Amazon should not win. And that the artists will regret their audacity. The prefect announced the start of the gladiatorial fights. Young gladiators, full of enthusiasm and thirst for glory, came together in a fierce battle, riveting all the attention of the audience. The swords rang until one of them broke. Then the Prefect released a gladiator against a Centaur into the arena.  They did not chase the monster for long, until they entangled the centaur in their nets. Amazons are like wild The cats darted around the arena, but they suffered the same fate – the gladiator cunningly captured them with nets. Athlete Guy bravely rushed into battle, but soon he was captured. The crowd roared and whistled, and the Prefect, with a satisfied grin, watched what was happening.

9. The prefect loudly announced: the prize for the winner is doubled if someone dares to challenge his Gladiator! Alex, consumed by a thirst for revenge for the humiliated artists and the nephew of the owner and his friend Guy, entered the arena. The crowd roared, and the Uncle and the Patron watched with bated breath. The gladiator, uttering a deep growl, swiftly rushed at Alex, but he threw himself over his head like a shadow and joined the fight again. So she fought until the Cabin Boy burst into the arena like a whirlwind, distracting the gladiator's attention and causing the crowd to laugh. He took out his chameleon lizard and held it up to the gladiator's face, throwing him into confusion. This was enough for a few well-aimed blows from Alex to cool the ardor of the tired gladiator, who collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Alex freed the artists and Guy, and the crowd burst into cheers, welcoming the heroes. The prefect reluctantly placed the prize and the fate of the gladiator in the hands of the Roman. Alex, showing generosity, returned the prize and the gladiator in exchange for the freedom of the artists. The prefect happily agreed, praising the emperor and Jupiter. The prefect greeted Alex, who had magnified Great Rome with his victory. Thunder crashed, and the Elder appealed to the heavenly powers for mercy.

10. Late evening enveloped Villa Polinia. The companions, like shadows, hurriedly got ready to leave. Pliny and his family were called to the ship. Nephew Guy and athlete Alex, with faces of remorse, confessed to the substitution. The uncle, shocked by the bizarre turns of fate, announced the freedom of all artists. Alex was now declared his pupil. At that moment, Donkor and his wife, with a sinking heart, recognized Felicia as their long-lost daughter. The girl, elated with happiness, rushed into the arms of her parents and introduced Guy to them. Alex and Emilia timidly appeared before Gordon and Pliny. In response, they were greeted only with warm hugs. An elder who came to the villa warned about the disaster, pointing with a trembling hand at the ominously smoking Vesuvius, hurriedly urged everyone to leave the city. Everyone was rushing to the port, as if fleeing from imminent doom. Uncle Pliny, for the last time, walked around the deserted gallery. In the flickering torchlight, antique statues come to life, intertwining in a bizarre farewell dance. Apollo, Diana, Hermes, Nika, the Olympians — he said goodbye to all of them in turn. The servant, as if humbling the riot of the gods, covered them with a transparent, like a shroud, veil. They were the last to step onto the deck of the ship.

11. The Bay of Naples. A night split by torchlight. The ship, as if alive, went out to sea. The captain and crew greeted the travelers. The cabin boy diligently tried to accommodate everyone in their cabins. But the raging elements did not give rest: the wind was getting stronger, and the ship was listing dangerously. It was only after moving a considerable distance from the shore that they felt relatively safe. Felicia and Guy, Alexis and Emilia stood together, hugging each other. Next to them are relatives, the crew, the cabin boy, servants, girls and elders. Gabriela, raising her hands to the sky, sang a prayer song, asking the gods to protect the travelers on this dangerous journey. The elder's gaze was riveted on Vesuvius, whose peak, shrouded in black clouds of smoke, rumbled ominously. Maroon flashes pierced the night gloom, marking the beginning of the eruption.