Lican Ray's Legend

She appeared between bubbles and sparkles  that were adorning her infinite black hair, like a goddes emerging of the lake. The water was crossing faithfully her docile body, while her hands were supporting her hair that was shining under the light of the Sun and the crystalline reflection of the water.

Without a doubt, it was a beautiful morning por the Princess Lican Rayen, not only for the landscape that was spreading before her eyes, but because today, finally she would know her promised one.  

Is not that she was pleased by the idea of compromising with an "unknown" someone, yes, "unknown" because she already knew it.

Lican Rayenhad inherited the power of the visions of her Machi _{(Mapuche witch)} and though they were not so powerful as her's she could distinguish clearly the features of her fiancee and some attitudes towards her. Certainly that she was not an easy youngster. She was very popular for being a free spirit, a very beautiful spirit certainly. For men in her tribe, her challenging attitude and freedom thoughts were like a charming spell and for women highly enviably, but she was a princess and, therefore, nobody could question her attitudes, which were never those of a spoiled girl, but those of a woman who was not trying to be tied under the title of "Princess".

Her powerful and rich father the Cacique _{(Mapuche Chief in times of Peace)} Curilef, that often had helped to the Toki _{(Mapuche Chief in times of War)} in the war against the Spanish, did not have problems with the indomitable spirit of his daughter, so, the one who was marrying her, had to be a strong man and with great decision power, deign of her, who could tame the feelings of his young daughter. The real problem for Curilef was that this man was not appearing. All men were darkened for Lican Rayen's, magical and special aura.

But quite this morning was predestined to change when a stout and impressive Cacique of a nearby tribe offered a great price for the princess and in proof of his power and determination, gave two pumas to , Curilef, tamed by himself. With all this, the Cacique agreed to marry the princess with that man.




Walking amazed along these lands, he came to the highest summit of the place and spied the water of a lake that often listened to his companions to call it Calafquen. He did not know if its waters were green or blue, but it looks so refreshing and pleasant shining under the light of the Sun. It was strange to have this sensation, he knew that it was a hostile land, but he was not feeling dread, very on the contrary, he was experiencing a sensation of peace in those lands about which the Spanish were speaking with so much respect and dread.

They named it " The Jungle " and were describing it as an enemy and terrible place, it was impossible to plan a path because of the thickness vegetation and was a dark place, weakly a beam of the sun could penetrate the sheett of leaves and branches. They supposed it populated of beasts and reptiles that were attacking the men, besides the silent enemy who was making fall the men mercilessly, the fever. Nevertheless, all these words commented in the environment of a Spanish saloon, were vanishing in his mind on having been opposite to the pacific and illuminated landscape. It seemed to him to be incorrect that the Spanish or any man coming to break with this privileged quietude and far from the corrupt ambition of the man. Leave those virgin and utopic lands far of the sins of the old world crossed his thoughts like a thunder crossing fastly the clouds and felt confused, he wanted to stay but also wanted to leave.

Soon he came out of his thoughts, when he spied a brilliant silhouette colored by the first sunbeams in the shores of the lake. Cautiously he approached and could listen that the woman was enlivening a beautiful song in an unknow language while she was drying her hair in the sun.

He did not want to frighten her that's why he began to sing the same song. Lican Rayen  noticed this and turned, she was scared but when she saw the man, he was smiling at her. He weared very strange clothes and was emitting sparkles for the whole body, but he did not seem to her to be hostile, so she approached the man and began to sing the melody again. The young man imitated her with an weird languaje learned in the last minutes. Lican Rayen found this so funny and finely she corrected his words, another smile returned to seal the friendship among them, the young woman extended her hand towards the soldier naming him "Aliumanche" _{(White Man)}, then, distinguishing herself she said "Lican Rayen" _{(Magic Stone Flower)}.

The flow of time passed fast this morning while they were teaching each other words of their different languages while they were crossing the forests in a very pleasant walk and with very agreeable company, the midday managed to break with that magic connection. The princess had to go back to her tribe, but none of the two left the place without before indicating next meeting that same night.

Everything had gone very quickly among them. They had a very special connection, almost magnetic. But Lican Rayen knew very well which was the reason and it was making her feel very happy. Her future promised one was an agreeable and respectful person, he wishs peace, was attractive, and though he was strange she did not matter because she loved everything that was a door opened for other worlds and he was representing that for her.

When she entered in her ruca _{(Mapuche House)}, her father surprised her with the news of her new fiancee, and the ceremony that will celebrate the next full moon. The princess felt caught by the first time in her life, she could not  contradict her father nor his desires, neither could tell him that she had fallen in love with the mortal enemy of her people, so, she kept silence and respected the desires of her father getting out soon from the place with the most dead and sad look that she had never bring ever.

That evening she met the Machi of her tribe, who saw her to grow, had raised her like her daughter and had granted her that magnificent gift to her. On having found out about the happened, the elderly woman came to her visions to predict the future of the couple. With an absolute face of dread, the elderly one advised her that they should flee across the lake, otherwise both would suffer all along of their lifes and it was very possible that both were finishing dead and without being able to enjoy their love. Followed by this, she gave a red stone to the princess who never had to put off. The stone was containing a curse, but Lican Rayen did not question her councils, because she knews that if she do that it was an offense, so she thank her and left her ruca.

That night Lican Rayen went out to the meeting with the soldier and she explained stubbornly everything that happened that noon to him. When she finished, he was looking her with a face between surprise and been grateful. Hembraced her strongly, finally he had found the response to the feelings that this day impeded it without previous notice. They looked for eternal seconds, illuminated only by the moon, with their hearts beating intensely, like wanting to join each other in deep passion, slowly the beatings were calming down as they were kissing each other calmly, taken by the hands. Together under the infinitely starry sky, they calculated that the next full moon would be in three days (counting on that same night) and for that they began to plan their scape.

But it is known that life might complicate things up and sets up challenges that never would planned. The night of the second day the Cacique fiancee of the princess, spoke with Curilef and told him everything that he saw the previous night between Lican Rayen and the Spanish soldier. Curilef untied his ire and ordered his men  to look for his daughter and to killing to Aliumanche, if she was resisting also she have to die. The humiliation feeling that the chief had experienced did not have pardon, though it was from his only daughter.

The princess and the soldier were in the shores of the lake, finishing the raft that would take them the following night towards freedom when the silence of the cold night was broken by an euphoric scream of a mass of troublesome men ready to kill the one who was crossing them in the way.

They did not need to communicate to know what had happened and pushed together the raft towards Calafquen preparing to go to the only island that was in its center.

A few men, already in the center of Calafquen, reached the small craft after a few minutes, but when they touched it the curse of the Machi did effect transforming them into enormous islands full with vegetation.

This night, and the following two, under the intense rain, the Mapuche _{(native of the zone)} looked in the newly appeared islands without any success. The couple passed cold and fear, since they could not ignite fire, otherwise they would be located and captured, nevertheless, the third night that undoubtedly was the coldest, it stopped raining, and without being able to bear the cold they ignited a bonfire. The Mapuche detected them immediately, but on having come to the place the lovers were not, the same thing happened the following night and the following sub.

Fleeing always across the islands, they were never caught and this way they got lost among the winds of the time and the paths of the distance.

It is said that in the spring evenings a distant column of smoke announces the return of Lican Rayen and Aliumanche.