Extrait du livre The guardian of the hidden treasure
The guardian of the hidden treasure Pascale Vignali Illustrated by Justine Cunha Le Regard Sonore Editions
Once upon a time, there was a city lost in the heart of the jungle… in South America.. It had once been home to the mighty Maya, who believed in many powerful spirits. To ensure their goodwill, the Maya made them offerings which they cast into sacred wells, protected by mysterious guardians...
In time, the Maya abandoned the great city and its wells. The playful coatis walked freely among carved temples and moss-strewn palaces…
Tahuca was the last mysterious sentinel of the sacred wells. When the Maya had left, so had the guardians. But Tahuca had remained faithful to his treasures. He would swim tirelessly through the underwater caves, where amphorae lay in the sand, jewels rested on the rocks, and jade masks slept, amid the aquatic weeds ... He would caress them as he passed by with his long, webbed fingers.
Among all the objects he protected, there was one he loved more than all the others: a mask of purest gold... When the light rays plunged into the turquoise waters and touched it, the mask shone with such beautiful reflections it seemed to be coming to life and smiling. Then Tahuca felt less alone...
Once a year, the sun’s rays were cast straight down the well. Thousands of silver shards reflected from the water. Even the smallest stone would shine like a diamond ... Tahuca, mad with happiness, swam in a sea of light. The great sails of its fins would wave like rainbows. This was but once a year...
Chachu-i, the green iguana, often came to see Tahuca, to talk about this and that. This lazy fellow lived in a large tree rooted in the well among the vines. His favourite branch hung just above the water. So when he was too hot, Chachui let himself plop into the middle of the holy well with a great big splash. Just like this!
