The water nymph of Lake Carezza
Lake Carezza is one of the most popular lakes in South Tyrol and has always delighted visitors with its magical play of colours, which must have been just what contributed to the creation of the following legend. It tells of a beautiful water nymph who would not allow herself to be dazzled, but remained faithful to nature and her home.
"...where the Dolomites look at themselves in the mirror."
There was once a beautiful water nymph who lived in the Lake Carezza. She often sat at the water’s edge, braiding her long hair and quietly singing a sweet melody. The sorcerer of Masaré heard her singing and fell in love with her. He used all of his magic powers to try and capture the maid, but she always escaped his grasp. Finally the sorcerer asked his friend, the witch Langwerda, for help. Langwerda advised him to disguise himself as a jeweller, to stretch a rainbow between the Rosengarten and Latemar massifs, then to go to the lake to lure the maiden ashore and capture her. The sorcerer followed the witch’s advice but forgot to put on his disguise. The nymph was overawed by the glittering rainbow and the many precious stones, but spotted the wizard who had hidden himself on the shore. As quickly as she had appeared, she slipped back under the waters and from that day on was never seen again.
The sorcerer was so angry with the failure of his plan that he tore the rainbow from the sky and, in a rage, hurled it together with all the jewels into the lake. To this day the Lake Carezza still shimmers with the most gorgeous rainbow colours, such that the local Ladin people call it the “Lech de l'ercaboan” (rainbow lake) in their language!
