THE GODDESS AND THE LAKE PARANOÁ SERPENT
The late afternoon announced that the night would be good for fishing, new moon, good wind, room temperature and some clouds in the sky creating a wallpaper as a background in the sky in contrast with the lake. João Neves had checked the baits, hooks and other fishing paraphernalia that he carried with him. André awaited for him on the way, anxious as if he had a date.
After a good walk João met André Neves, and as always, he was anxious and worried about the fishing.
Night came quickly as the two fishermen walked by the lakeside. The trail was closing in, almost obstructing the passage. With their arms, João Neves and André pushed away some of branches in able to walk carefully. Frightened, André fell and slipped on the sandy ground while João Neves tried to hold him without success.
After this happened, everything paused for a moment. Andrew got up beating the dirt off his pants, his amazed eyes widen and he became paralyzed. João Neves tried to cover up, but also kept looking around:
- Did you see that monster that came out of the lake? It almost got me! - said André scared.
- It was not a monster André, it was just a cormorant catching a fish. - Says João, while trying to calm André down.
Afraid and looking around, André follows behind Joao Neves, and after pulling back a large branch in front of them, João Neves realized that far ahead there was someone sitting on a rock. The spectrum turned its face slowly revealing its appearance. João Neves pointed the flashlight to his eyes and waited for a dialogue. With a strong and hoarse voice the old man began to speak:
- Today is not a good night for fishing, it`s best you go back or go fish elsewhere. - Said the old man with serious look.
It was almost midnight when a small wave came across the lake. A beautiful brunette woman with rags covering only her private parts, emerged from the lake as if on a surfboard. As she got close to shore, the woman revealed her entire self.
Anxiety gripped André who was delighted with the woman, his eyes turned to the gorgeous brunette floating in the lake. João Neves knew something was happening when Andrew left behind the small tree and started walking toward the edge of the lake as if he was hypnotized. João Neves tried to hold and pull him, but could not.
With an insider's view, João Neves watched as the serpent returned to shore with the woman around its body balancing as if it were really a usual natural or supernatural action.
André at the shore, still enthralled by the woman, was paralyzed while the serpent approached slowly as if it was waiting for its prey. João Neves tried to scream, but his voice didn`t come out, he tried to move but couldn`t. His only action was to watch the snake come close to Andre and swallow him whole under the gaze of the woman, who smiled and made the beast return to the deep part of the lake diving and leaving only a big wave that faded after some time.
João Neves didn`t move for some time until he heard the voice of the old man again, who suddenly appeared and told him:
- I warned you guys, and your friend understood the warnings, but you ignorantly did not meet the calls of nature, you will now have to live with this and no one will believe your story. You`ll have to say he drowned, and your friend`s carcass will soon be next to the van that sank and is in the deepest part of the lake, but do not tell the divers to approach the rubbles of houses that were swallowed by these waters long ago, because in those dark waters filled of trash, the serpent and the goddess of the lake rest in peace.
- Explained the old man. - Do not come over here to fish and tell everyone that this place has no fish, if someone comes, they will have the same fate as your friend. - Said the old man disappearing again just the way it appeared.
João Neves was devastated and wandered through the rest of the night without getting anywhere until the sun came up and revealed the direction we wanted to go. Tired and disoriented, John Neves walked under the hot morning sun trying to figure out what happened the night before without showing any memory in his mind. Just the image of Brasilia is seen, before the orange skylights which reveal the monuments of the capital.
Tradução Fabiana Neves