The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

GINTARELE

MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN THE FISHERMEN STILL ROWED
OUT TO GET THEIR FISH, WHEN THE LAND WAS YOUNG, BUT
ALREADY PAST THE TIME OF THE VERY EARLY DUKES, THERE
LIVED AN OLD FISHERMAN WITH HIS WIFE AND THREE DAUGHTERS.
ONE DAY, WHILE THE DAUGHTERS WERE PLAYING IN THE WATER
A SEA-SERPENT APPEARED AND BEGAN TALKING TO THEM IN A
HUMAN VOICE. THE TWO OLDER GIRLS WERE FRIGHTENED AND
RAN OUT OF THE WATER. HOWEVER, THE YOUNGEST ONE STAYED.
THE SERPENT TOLD HER THAT HE HAD SEEN HER MANY TIMES AND
THAT SHE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL. HE IS IN LOVE WITH HER AND
WOULD SHE BE HIS WIFE. WHEN SHE TOLD THIS TO HER
PARENTS, THEY WERE VERY SAD, BUT THEY WERE AFRAID THAT HE
MIGHT DO SOMETHING IF THEY REFUSED, SO THEY LET HER GO.
THEY WATCHED HER DISAPPEAR INTO THE WAVES AND THEY FELT
THAT A TRAGEDY WILL BEFALL.
THE SERPENT PUT HER TO SLEEP, BUT WHEN THEY REACHED
THE BOTTOM HE AWAKENED HER. SHE OPENED HER EYES AND
BEFORE HER SHE SAW A BEAUTIFUL CASTLE BUILT OF VARIOUS
SHADES OF AMBER AND NEXT TO HER, A HANDSOME YOUNG
PRINCE; WITH HAIR AS YELLOW AS THE YELLOWEST SHADE
OF AMBER. AND SHE KNEW THEN, THAT SHE LOVED HIM AND
WILL BE HAPPY WITH HIM. SO, THAT NIGHT THEY WERE
MARRIED AND HAD A VERY BIG RECEPTION.
A FEW YEARS PASSED AND THEY ALREADY HAD THREE
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, WITH HAIR OF GOLD. THROUGH THE
YEARS, HER OWN HAIR HAD TURNED FROM BROWN TO A PALE
YELLOW. BUT NOW SHE FELT THAT SHE WAS MISSING SOME-
THING. SHE WANTED TO GO BACK HOME, TO VISIT HER PARENTS.
HER HUSBAND WHO LOVED HER VERY MUCH, WAS RELUCTANT TO
LET HER GO, BUT FINALLY HE TOLD HER THAT SHE CAN GO,
BUT ON ONE CONDITION. SHE HAD TO BE BACK WITHIN 3 DAYS.
AND AT SUNDOWN WHEN SHE WAS ON THE SHORE, IF SHE WILL
SEE BITS OF AMBER, THAT WILL BE A SIGN THAT HE IS DEAD.
SHE HAD A HAPPY THREE DAYS WITH HER PARENTS AND
SISTERS AND AT SUNDOWN ON THE THIRD DAY, SHE STOOD ON
THE SHORE. SUDDENLY, SEVERAL LARGE PIECES OF AMBER
WASHED UP AND SHE REALIZED THAT HER HUSBAND WAS DEAD.
BUT A HUGE WAVE SWEPT UP ON SHORE AND DRAGGED HER AND
HER TWO CHILDREN INTO THE SEA. LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE
BITS AND CHUNCKS THAT ARE FOUND BY THE BALTIC SEA ARE
PIECES OF THE SMASHED AMBER CASTLE. SOME OF THE PIECES
FOUND HAVE LITTLE SPECKS IN THEM, OR ARE EXTREMELY SHINY.
SOME OF THE OLD BELIEVERS SAY THAT THE PIECES ARE PARTS
OF HER EYELASHES, AND THE SINYNESS IS AMBER MIXED WITH
HER TEARS.

Submitter comment: TRANSLATED FROM LITHUANIAN BY RAMUNI STONYS
THIS IS A NAME (GINTARELE) TRANSLATED MEANS AMBER IN
THE FEMALE VERSION--GENDER. IT'S NOT COMMON NOW,
BUT STILL HEAR IT AROUND SOMETIMES.
TRANSLATED FROM LITHUANIAN BY COLLECTOR
AMBER

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 03-06-1972