A different version of the legend of the water nymph of the Lago di Carezza - as told by the water nymph

Singing on the shores of the Lago di Carezza, her voice sounded even lovelier, brighter and gentler than it actually was. It was as clear as the air that enveloped the mountains or the lake that lapped round her fins. The water-nymph loved to sit on the bank and braid her long, blond hair into plaits as her soft melodies drifted over the waters. Nothing gave her so much peace or joy as these moments of true happiness.

But one strange day it all felt different from usual. The sky seemed darker, the scent of the pines was not so noticeable, while the air was cooler and sharper. The water-nymph had the impression that she was no longer alone at the lake. And then she saw a dark figure in the distance, unable to take its fiery eyes off her. Over the next days the Wizard of Masarè – as the figure in due course revealed himself to her – tried again and again to ensnare the beautiful maid with his words and tricks and thus spirit her off. As she felt uneasy in his presence, however, the nymph would always flee into the water, leaving the Wizard standing glumly at the water’s edge.

As the beautiful damsel emerged from the water early one morning, she saw the most magical sight she had ever seen in all her days: a stunningly bright rainbow above her little paradise at the lake, shining with such bold colours that it seemed to have gathered together all the red, yellow, orange, blue and violet of this world. And, as if this colourful spectacle was not impressive enough, wonderful gems were to be seen sparkling all around. How the nymph was bedazzled by this gleaming magic swirling over her lake! But what was that over there? Could the eyes and heart of the water-nymph have deceived her? Was the wondrous spectacle before her simply another of the Wizard’s ploys? As she saw the rogue lurking behind a tree on the bank, she knew that this was just one more of his tricks to lure her away with him. Disheartened, angry and trembling, she dived back below the waves and swore never again to return to the surface as long as she lived - so evil was the world! As she swam in fright to where the lake was at its deepest and darkest, jewels and colourful fragments of the rainbow suddenly plunged down to her, making the waters shimmer around the nymph and all the other denizens. And so it came to pass that the water-nymph never again felt the urge to visit the shores of her beautiful “Rainbow Lake”.