Ida the weaver

by Sararivka Libermann

Once upon a time, there was a women, named Ida, who lived at the edge of the forest some distance away from the two closest villages. Ida was a weaver, and you could usually see her working on her loom.

One day, a warrior came. He was very tired and weak after defending the kingdom. He was on his way home to the village, when he found Ida at the edge of the forest.

Ida gave him fresh water from the rock to drink, and simple nourishing food from the earth. Refreshed and rested, the warrior went home.

Later, he brought Ida sparkling silver thread, fashioned from his sword. Ida took the silver thread and wove it into her cloth.

One day, a king and queen came, but they did not feel very much like a king and a queen, they were tired and had wandered great distances to return to their castle.

Ida welcomed them and gave them fresh water of the brook to drink and to wash. She gave them simple, nourishing food from the earth. Refreshed, the king and the queen returned to the castle. They sent a messenger to Ida with a gift of deep purple thread from the royal robes. And Ida wove the thread into her cloth.

One day, two lovers came, but they did not feel very much like lovers. They had traveled far to reach the village and establish their own home, and they were irritated and annoyed with each other and the world. Ida gave them fresh water from the brook and simple, nourishing food from the earth. Be refreshed and revitalised, the lovers left for the village. Nine months later, they returned with their firstborn child and gave Ida a gift of thread- red for passion, white for love and yellow for friendship. And Ida wove the thread into her cloth.

One day a child came, the child has been lost in the forest on the way to the village and had a badly cut leg. Ida gave the child fresh water from the brook to drink and washed the leg. She gave the child simple, nourishing food from the earth. As night fell and the forest grew cold, Ida covered the child with the cloth she had woven. In the morning, when the child woke up, the leg was healed. You see, everyone knew that Ida was a weaver, but only Ida knew that she was also a magician.