tales of Suchita

Gunaf tied his boat to a tree as he made his way to the temple. He knew he would have no need for the boat. And since it had served him well, he left it at the shore, secure enough that it wouldn’t drift off, not so secure that someone who needed it couldn’t get to it in time. His journey lay elsewhere – into the heart of the island – looking for the enchantress who went by the name of Nyx.

Most families in Gunaf’s village had a tradition, a something that each father passed onto his son and each mother passed onto her daughter. His father, and his father before him, had passed on this quest to Gunaf on his death bed. He had evoked the dying man’s wish and declared that his son would find the buried treasure of Nyx. And though the path was treacherous, and though he had lost a thumb, a toe and almost an eye, while trying to locate that treasure, he hadn’t hesitated to pass on the torch to his son.

But the son was better prepared than the father, deciding he’d take on this quest alone, not wanting the blood of his fellow humans on his conscience, and had set off a month ago to this island. The journey had been placid till Nyx’s island had come within his eyeline. That’s when the wind had changed its course, the waters had grown choppy and he could have sworn he saw countless, dangerous monsters in the water below, just waiting for him to make a mistake so they could swallow him whole.

Gunaf though wasn’t the most celebrated sailor in his village for nothing and keeping his head firmly on his shoulders, had managed to successfully navigate the churning waters. He was so successful that he and his boat had arrived unscathed.

Feeling confidently hopeful, wrongly concluding that all his woes were now behind him, Gunaf walked the path leading to the temple as though he could tame Nyx by the flick of his fingers.

The path was littered with bones, skulls, and rotted coins, pots, pans and canvasses. If the debris was anything to go by, Gunaf could tell many had tried and failed to reach the treasure.

Now if you are wondering why a perfectly capable and intelligent Gunaf had undertaken such a pointless exercise, father’s wish notwithstanding, the treasure was real and the reward for finding that treasure manifold. Anyone who could find that treasure, it was foretold, would be greeted by Zeus himself who’d give them a portion of the treasure, bless them with long life and so many riches that they’d never have to work a day in their life for as long as they’d live and…yes…and…a place in the halls of Zeus after death.

The legend goes, in a fit of rage Apollo stole his mother’s most-prized jewels and gave it in the safekeeping of the enchantress Nyx. Nyx being Nyx, took her own revenge of Zeus’ slight and hid the treasure and for good measure, added several layers of protection so no god could come near it.

So Gunaf was on the hunt for the treasure. He didn’t really care for the legend, or having a place in Zeus’s hall after death. All he wanted was to look upon Nyx, who was rumoured to be such an ethereal beauty that no man, woman or child could resist her. A poet and romantic at heart, all Gunaf wanted was to write a song in praise of her beauty. That would be treasure enough for him.

He reached the temple without incident but the entrance was barred by a statue that looked like it had been recently cleaned. It was gleaming in the moonlight, unlike the littered path. Looking into the eyes of the statue, Gunaf had the curious sensation that he was falling…falling…fallin…

*

When he opened his eyes, he was inside a cavernous space, water gently lapping at his feet. He turned around and there she was, in all her naked, terrific glory.

Once he had gotten over the fright, he realized it was a statue, an almost mirror image of the one he had seen above, but he couldn’t look into this one’s eyes for longer than a moment. They were too full of a terrible light that would soothe, even as it burnt him raw. Gunaf tried to look away but found he couldn’t so looked at the rest of her instead.

He looked at her ear, followed the curve of her hair, stopping at her naked shoulder for a moment before moving his eyes down the arm…a delicate but powerful looking arm. He was so mesmerized by her many contradictions, he forgot he had come here to compose a song in her honour.

As his eyes travelled down her arm, he felt a gentle caress on his own arm. Feeling emboldened, he caught her wrist and felt an immediate tightness around his. But before he could further explore and get lost in her beauty, he noticed the lines on Nyx’s palm. Looking closer, he realized it was a map.

Heart beating fast, Gunaf looked up and could swear the enchantress’ statue looked a cross between impressed and disappointed. He hurriedly looked back at the map lest he lose himself completely in those magnetic eyes. The lines on her palm were indeed a map and after memorizing it, he went off in search of the treasure.

*

It is said he travelled for many nights and many days, trying to keep his eye on the map, even when the enchantress’ wily statue kept luring him away from his task.

But to Gunaf it felt like he had travelled eons. Finally he reached the place that had been marked at the tip of the statue’s index finger.

He found the treasure. And it was as vast as all the tales he had heard from his father. The amount of gold and jewels were obscene and he couldn’t even fathom what anyone would do with so much of it.

As he contemplated his next move, he heard the sweetest voice whispering in his ears, “If you don’t want the treasures, what is it that you seek my sailor Gunaf?”

“Only to look upon you.”

He heard a tinkling laugh but the edge behind it was unmistakable. “You will burn, my sailor, burn, if you look upon me.”

Gunaf closed his eyes, preparing himself. He had no intention of taking away the treasure, or to bequeath a quest to his progeny. The madness ended here. He said, “It would be an honour,” and opened his eyes.

His body started to burn as he looked upon the enchantress’ terrific beauty, and his heart burst into song:

Queen of my heart
Be gentle to my soul
As I lay my life upon your stone
Seeing as I have a goddess pure
No need have I of going on
Let the heavens and the seas know
A mortal man conquered the goddess divine
And the gift she bestowed upon him
Was of dying in the house of his paramour.

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This is 5 of 26 Myths and Legends. To know more, click here.