Quimeras (ou histórias de um faroleiro) / Chimeras (Or stories of a lighthouse keeper) - III

(Parte II)

Ao chegar a esta parte da historia, fez uma pausa e fitou-o: “Conheces esse faroleiro? Era aquele o farol?”

“Julgo que sim.”, disse ele, “Foi ele que me contou que as sereias existem. Mas diz-me, a tua avó, chegou a descobrir o que havia para lá do horizonte?”

“Sim, um dia partiu num barco, da cidade. Percorreu o país, muitos países, só parou quando as pernas já não respondiam ao seu apelo.”

“Antes de ir na sua viagem última, pediu-me que viesse aqui, aonde viu o início do horizonte. Pediu-me que deitasse ao mar este pendente.”

Nas mãos segurava um fio de couro, com uma concha perfeita.

“Acho que era a sua forma de voltar a casa.”

“Sim”, disse ele, “acho que devias atirá-lo do alto do farol; se quiseres, levo-te lá.”

Ela sorriu e levantou-se.

“Vamos!”

Entendeu então porque é que o faroleiro dizia que o apelo do mar tinha levado a sua sereia. Mas, para ele, o do farol tinha ganho. O amor não fora suficiente para soltar as amarras de um e para prender outro.

Mas ele procurava uma sereia há anos. Agora que a encontrara, se o mar a chamar… aprenderá a nadar!

...Fim? ...

Sagres, by Isa Lisboa

(Part II)

On this part of the story, she stopped and looked at him: “Do you know that lighthouse keeper?” Was that the lighthouse?”

“I believe so”, he said, “He’s the one who told me mermaids exist. But tell me, your grandmother, did she ever find out what was there beyond the horizon?”

“Yes, one day she left on a boat, from the city. She went across the country, many coutries, only stopped when her legs didn’t respond to their call any more.”

“Before going in her last trip, she asked me to came here, where she saw the beginning of the horizon. She asked me to throw this necklace into the sea.”

In her hands, she was holding a leather string, with a perfect shell.

“I think this was her way to came home.”

“Yes”, he said, “I think you should throw it from the top of the lighthouse; ifyou want to, I will take you there.”

She smilled and she got up.

“Came on!”

Then he understood why the lighthouse keeper would say the calling of the sea had taken away his mermaid. But, to him, the calling of the lighthouse, had won. Love had not been enough to loosen one’s ties and to bind the other.

But he was looking for a mermaid for years. Now that he had found her, if the sea calls her… he will learn how to swim!

...The end? ...