The Legend of

Frederick the Merman

2

The Legend of

Frederick the Merman

3

It all happened in the Year 1230, at the time when Sicily was still under the reign of King Arthur III. In those days Arthur III was proclaimed King of Sicily by the almighty gods. One ordinary man of the time, called Frederick, happened to be well known all over the Kingdom for his extraordinary ability to swim and dive for very long periods of time. The King`s advisors got to hear about him and so they spoke to King Arthur III about this particular man and his extraordinary abilities. King Arthur wanted to see this for himself and therefore he sent for Frederick on board his royal galleon, which at the time happened to be anchored at the port.

4

King Arthur III

5

King Arthur III was sailing across the seas of his Kingdom on his magnificient galleon, in search of a spouse worthy of his precious daughter. The wonderful Princess had requested that in addition to beauty, her man had to have gentle manners and also be brave. But up till then, despite the numerous noble men she received from all over the Kingdom, not one of them had satisfied her demanding pretenses. “I will give myself”, she would continuously be heard repeating, “to he who will be able not to deny me anything! Only to he who dares confront the most terrible dangers, if necessary even death, to make me happy!”

6

King Arthur III sailing across the seas of his Kingdom on his magnificient galleon.

7

As Frederick appeared before the King and his Court, he bowed very timidly in a respectful manner. A subtle rustle of surprise arose from among the few by-standers because they did not expect so much courtesy from such an ordinary man like Frederick. The King`s advisors were also surprised by Frederick's handsome presence and good manners. Frederick's face, translucent and young, showed no trace of hard work and fatigue. Instead it seemed as if the salted water of the seas, far from toughening his skin, had made it even smoother and softer.

8

As Frederick appeared before the King and his Court, he bowed very timidly in a respectful manner.

9

“There happened to come to my knowledge”, began King Arthur, “that you swim like a fish and that you also possess the extraordinary ability to speak with ocean nymphs and sea mermaids. Is all this I have been told true?” “Your Majesty”, replied Frederick, “I feel as confident in the sea as you feel when you are in your bed. I know the depths of the sea as well as you and your Court know the gardens of your palaces. I also speak with the nymphs and mermaids as the noble Princess does with her ladies in waiting.” A rumor of impressed whispers arose from among the King`s Court, standing right behind His Majesty. Only the pale Princess remained nobly silent and ponderous, contemplating Frederick`s sweet and inspiring face that made her feel new and mysterious sensations that she had never experienced before.

10

“There happened to come to my knowledge”, began King Arthur, “that you swim like a fish and that you also possess the extraordinary ability to speak with ocean nymphs and sea mermaids.”

11

“Is all this I have been told true?”

12

“Well then!” finally continued the King, “I shall put you to the test. I shall now throw this goblet made of pure gold and studded with precious stones from which I have just drunk, into the sea. If you manage to find it and return it to me, I shall make you a rich man!” And the little Princess added, “Oh Frederick! I shall also put you to the test. I shall throw this precious belt that I wear into the sea and if you fetch it back to me, I shall offer you my hand to kiss!” Having said this, the King threw the goblet into the sea and the little Princess her belt.

13

“Well then!” finally continued the King, “I shall put you to the test. I shall now throw this goblet made of pure gold and studded with precious stones from which I have just drunk, into the sea. If you manage to find it and return it to me, I shall make you a rich man!”

14

Faced by such an unexpected challenge, poor Frederick had nothing to say. Infact he did not utter one single word. But his eyes, very cunningly, followed the flight of the two objects being thrown into the sea and in quite the same way he quickly disappeared under the water. By then, on shore, not too far away, more passers-by had gathered to follow what was happening. Everybody stood anxious and silent, waiting and hoping for Frederick`s re-appearance.

15

His eyes, very cunningly, followed the flight of the two objects being thrown into the sea and in quite the same way he quickly disappeared under the water.

16

By then, on shore, not too far away, more passers-by had gathered to follow what was happening. Everybody stood anxious and silent, waiting and hoping for Frederick`s re-appearance.

17

Infact, shortly afterwards, right in the spot where Frederick had disappeared shortly before, ripples appeared in the water as he re-appeared with the King`s goblet in his right hand and the Princess's belt in his left hand. The crowd cheered and applauded. King Arthur took the goblet from Frederick's hands and immediately afterwards, the little Princess, pale and trembling, also grabbed the belt and buckled it back around her waist. For a very short moment, Frederick and the little noble Princess stood in silence, staring and fixing each others` eyes. The crowd clapped cheerfully again in approval.

18

Infact, shortly afterwards, right in the spot where Frederick had disappeared shortly before, ripples appeared in the water as he re-appeared with the King`s goblet in his right hand and the Princess's belt in his left hand.

19

But this was not enough for His Majesty. King Arthur was not satisfied. He wanted to challenge poor Frederick even further and put him to the test once again in order to see how far this prodigious swimmer could go. Therefore he ordered his helm`s men to steer the royal galleon towards deeper waters. Having done this, the King spoke once again. “Oh Frederick! I have been told that during the day you race with dolphins and play with the tritons, hiding among the coral reefs. If this is true and you can prove it to me, this time I will make you a Knight.” And once again, the King threw his goblet back into the sea. The Princess added, “Oh Frederick, from my neck I will remove this necklace made of gold and diamonds and throw it into to sea. If you manage to return it to me, I will allow you to hug me.”

20

Same as before, poor Frederick did not answer. Instead he climbed onto the edge of the royal galleon and gushed out towards the open sea. The crowd shouted words of encouragement, but immediately afterwards everybody became silent again. Once again the crowd waited anxiously and prayed in silence for Frederick`s success in the near-to-impossible task. There was a long period of dead silence all around. Finally, the water began to ripple again and Frederick re-appeared in between the white foam, holding in one hand the King's goblet and in the other the Princess's necklace. Having witnessed this, the crowd broke out in a loud hurray of joy and all eyes turned towards the King and his pale little Princess, who, according to their judgement, were enjoying putting young Frederick`s life at risk.

21

But the King was still not satisfied and ordered that the galleon be taken further out towards the centre of the Strait of Messina, where there is a deep crater, almost a valley. “Oh Frederick!” King Arthur ordered in a solemn and imposing manner, “for the third time, go and explore the abyss which is more familiar to you than any other thing. Now I will throw my goblet here and if you succeed in returning it to me, I will make you a Baron and you will have the privilege to work by my side!" And the Princess, beginning to blush, added, “Oh Frederick! I too shall throw my ring made of sapphires and diamonds and if you return it to me, this time I will become your wife.”

22

Sounds of terror arose from among the crowd. “Do not be a fool! Do not seek death!” yelled a solitary voice from among the crowd. “You will never manage to overcome the strong currents of the strait! You will definitely not be successful in this challenge which goes beyond human possibility! Do give up, give up now!” shouted other voices. The Princess is nasty and the King is cruel.” But the goblet and the ring were already on their way towards the deep waters. So Frederick did not take any notice of the crowd`s wise suggestions. Instead he watched intensively the spot where the two precious objects hit the water and sunk. Then, with a great leap, he dived once more and very quickly disappeared among the waves, heading straight down much like a weight.

23

All of a sudden there was dead silence on the galleon and all around. The crowd on the nearby shore grew even more than before. Even the King and the Princess became silent and anxious, staring at the ripples in the water following Frederick's dive. The whole Court moved towards the edge of the galleon to watch and hopefully wait for Frederick`s re-appearance. The sea, in which by then Frederick had disappeared for quite some time, became as smooth and transparent as glass. A look of anxiety and fear could be observed on the faces of all the spectators. Time passed quickly and very soon it grew pitch dark. Poor Frederick, later nicknamed Rick the Merman, did not return to the surface. This time the sea had decided to keep him for himself and to never share him again.

24

The sea, in which by then Frederick had disappeared for quite some time, became as smooth and transparent as glass. Time passed quickly and very soon it grew pitch dark. This time the sea had decided to keep him for himself and to never share him again.

25

The popular legend would like to pass along a very creative and colorful explanation for Frederick`s disappearance. Rick the Merman, after having reached the depths of the sea and recovered the goblet and the ring, happened to notice that the column of Peloro, on which Northern Sicily leans, was almost on the point of breaking. Therefore, fearing that at any moment his beloved Messina could sink and disappear forever beneath the water, he instinctively decided to act as a substitute for the column. So he rushed to sustain the column in order not to let it break down under all that weight.

26

Fearing that at any moment his beloved Messina could sink and disappear forever beneath the water, Rick instinctively decided to act as a substitute for the column. So he rushed to sustain the column in order not to let it break down under all that weight.

27

The little Princess, seeing that poor Frederick did not return to the surface and feeling sorry for having taken her father`s side at challenging the poor man to extremes, shocked everybody when she suddenly ran towards the edge of the galleon and jumped off it into the sea to try and fetch Frederick back up on the royal galleon. But very soon she realized that Frederick was so brave as to be ready to even give up his life for his beloved home land and all its inhabitants, including herself and her father even though they had been so nasty and cruel with him. So, faced by this situation, she instinctively decided to join Frederick and help him in sustaining the column of Peloro.

28

The little Princess, seeing that poor Frederick did not return to the surface and feeling sorry for having taken her father`s side at challenging the poor man to extremes, shocked everybody when she suddenly ran towards the edge of the galleon and jumped off it into the sea to try and fetch Frederick back up on the royal galleon.

29

The gods, having witnessed all this from high up above, greatly appreciated and were impressed by the fact that Frederick and the Princess were ready to give up their precious lives for their beloved island and all its inhabitants. So, not to let them both tragically die out of breath, they transformed Frederick into a merman and the little Princess into a beautiful mermaid. The Princess realized that in Fredrick she had finally found the man who managed to satisfy all her pretenses. So Rick the merman and the mermaid Princess lived happily together ever after, up till this very day.

30

So, the gods, not to let them both tragically die out of breath, they transformed Frederick into a merman and the little Princess into a beautiful mermaid.

31

So Rick the merman and the mermaid Princess lived happily together ever after, up till this very day.

32

On the other hand, the gods punished King Arthur III by depriving him of his beloved beautiful little daughter for having abused of his position instead of using his power for the benefit all the inhabitants of his Kingdom. King Arthur was very sorry for his cruel deed and promised that from that day onwards he will make sure to be rightful and just with everybody. Not only, but he also made sure to share his belongings with all the inhabitants of his Kingdom so as to make sure that nobody was disadvantaged or lacked anything anymore. So, everybody in the Kingdom lived happily ever after.

33

Everybody in the Kingdom lived happily ever after.

34

THE END