TRANSLATION OF A LEGEND

3ème C-Collège Les Sables Blancs

Le phare de l'île aux moutons (www.sailmore.org)

SAINTE MARINE AND GLENAN LEGEND

At that time, the rocks of the Glenan formed only one island on which there was a marvellous city, capital of a powerful king. That king had two beautiful girls. One of them, Marie Morgane was perverse as pretty. From the top of tower, she would scan the sea and if she caught sigh of a handsome man, she would bewitch him. Her kisses were fatal and her arms would drop a corpse. Because of Marie Morgane’s perversity, the island, one evening, was engulfed in a terrible storm. Only seven or eight islands remained, forming the present Glenan islands.

On the same evening, fishermen from Bénodet, walking down to the strand, to check if the cables of their boats weren't broken, heard a voice of somebody who was moaning. They came closer and saw a young girl with a light and gentle face who was crying.

-Why are you crying? they asked her.

She answered that she was crying her homeland engulfed by the sea. And the men understood she was Marine or Marina, the king of the Glenan's second daughter, well-known for her virtues as much as her elder sister was for her vices.

-As the island was sinking, she said, I happened to be sitting on this rocks thanks to God. I lost my country and my father and my sister is sentenced to be a she-devil in the sea.

In the meantime, she was sobbing. The fishermen told her:

-Come and live among us and be our Saint.

-No, she said, you've already a patron saint, who's Our Lady of Bénodet. Take me just to this small strand over there, under the trees. There I want to have my house to pray and repent.

Le narcisse des Glenan (www.ville-concarneau.fr)