Aleron and the Four Rivers

Aleron was a brave young man, and while he was not very powerful, he was rather smart. He was also in love with a young maiden named Adamaris, who was cold to the affections of all in their village. It was like this until Adamaris fell into the great river, and was swept away to be trapped in one its daughter rivers. While most thought Adamaris was lost, Aleron would not give up, and went to search the rivers for her.

 The first river was a weak stream, and the naiad dwelling in the river rose up to meet him. It looked like a young girl in a white dress, with nothing but innocence in her face. “Is the maiden Adamaris in your waters?” Aleron asked.
 The young naiad shook her head. “My waters do not hold any person but those who choose to be in them,” she said. “But my sisters are not so merciful. I would ask you not to go to them, as they would ensnare you with their promises.” But Aleron was determined to rescue Adamaris, and walked over the stream.
 The next stream was much more powerful, but still small and even a man of Aleron’s stature was taller than it was wide. The naiad dwelling there went to meet him, wearing the form of a beautiful young woman in a red dress. He tried to ignore the spirit’s beauty and asked, “Is the maiden Adamaris in your waters?”
 “No, but why would you seek another woman but me?” the beautiful spirit asked. “Lie here a while and be embraced by me.” While her charms were great, Aleron refused with the knowledge that lying in any stream for very long would be resigning oneself to drowning, and stepped through the stream.
 The next river was deep and flowed very fast indeed. This time the naiad of the river was a woman with quite a few years behind her, and wore a black dress. Aleron asked, “Do you know where the maiden Adamaris is?”
 “She is in the river beyond mine, but why would you want to search any other?” the older naiad said. “My river holds great wealth for those who can look. Stay a while and search.” Aleron knew that a river like this one was so fast and so deep that even stepping foot in it could carry him away to a place where he would drown, so he refused. He jumped over the river and continued his quest.
 He had made it to the final river, which was larger than all the other rivers combined, but it was much slower than any of the others. The naiad of this river wore a dress stained with blood and a warrior’s breastplate. Aleron was so stunned that the frightening naiad spoke first. “Speak, human, for your presence disturbs me,” the naiad said.
 Aleron finally got up the courage to speak. “I hear the maiden Adamaris is entrapped by your river,” he said. “Release her to me so that I may bring her back to the village.”
 “No, mortal,” the naiad said. “While my sisters may have been weak, I am strong. I have claimed a thousand men and will claim another thousand men. If you wish to rescue the woman, you must swim to get her from beneath the waters.”
 Aleron, while fearful, knew that he could swim, so once again resolved to rescue Adamaris. He dived into the water and searched for the maiden. When he found her, she was bound by weeds growing at the bottom of the river. He released her and began to carry her to the surface. He was not used to the heavy load of another person, but he managed to pull Adamaris out of the river, making his way back to the shore safely.
 When they got back to the village, Aleron proclaimed his love for Adamaris and the two were wed. Aleron was noted for his heroism and his tale is still told around the fire there. Adamaris never went near the river again, and forbade her children to do either. But, for good or ill, that is the way it ended.