There once was a young man who drove his sheep up into the hills, seeking greener pastures by the shore of a mountain lake. One day, after walking the flock to the lakeside, the shepherd was astonished to see a beautiful woman, dressed in satin robes, seated on the calm surface of the water. She was the most lovely woman his eyes had ever seen. The woman, unaware of being watched, was combing her long hair, using the glassy surface of the lake as her mirror. The man gasped, and moved closer to the shore to see her. Whether it was the sound or the movement that startled the woman, I cannot say. She looked up and seeing the man standing, with his arms beckoning toward her, the woman quickly dove under the water and disappeared.

The shepherd called to her,

"Wait! Stay with me. Be my Wife..."

But she did not reappear that day.

The shepherd began to visit the lake daily. He would leave gifts for the woman by the shore. He would find his offerings gone the next day, but still no sign of the woman. Eventually, the man could think of nothing else. He began to neglect his flock. He became obsessed. He started to visit the mountain lake at night as well as day. He would call out his love to the woman,

"Lady of the lake waters, I love you. Please come with me and be my wife"

He was certain that he could see, at times, a faint glimmering in the water appear at the spot where he had once seen her.

Months passed, and the shepherd persisted, consumed with his desire for what he could not have. By and by, some of his sheep wandered off and become lost, but he did not search for them. His thoughts were only for his unfulfilled longing. Finally, one evening, when the moon was full, he sang out, again, over the lake

"Lady of the lake waters, I love you and I will never be happy until you are my wife. Please..."

But then he stopped, for there, rising from the lake, was the woman he had sought. She glided over the surface of the water towards him, her shining satin robes and long hair flowing with the soft breeze. The lady gently placed her hand on the shepherd's extended palm and stepped ashore.

"Shepherd, I consent to be your wife," she said and then held up her other hand to prevent him from speaking yet. "First, you must agree to this one condition. If ever you were to lay a rough hand on me three times, then I would vanish from your life, never to be seen again"

"Dear Lady" cried the man, "Never would I ever think of harming you!"

He grasped her hand and began to lead the beautiful woman home when he heard sounds coming from behind them and stopped to turn and see. There, climbing out of the lake after the woman, were flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. The man was overjoyed. Now he possessed the woman of his dreams and wealth as well!

The couple married and for several years, and seemed happy. The shepherd was now raised in status to that of a farmer because of the flocks and herds that his wife had brought him. Because of this, they were often invited to attend the social events of the local villagers. One day, the shepherd and his wife were invited to a christening, where, to the surprise of all present, the spirit woman began weeping. Her husband gave her an angry glance and asked her,

"Why are you making such a fool of yourself?"

His lady, having the ability to see into other's souls, answered her husband between sobs,

"The poor babe has entered a family where it is not wanted. His mother is worn from too many children and has scant enough food or time for yet another. The man of this house beats them all. Misery lies ahead for the child. Why should I rejoice?"

He shoved her to keep her quiet and to stop her from embarrassing him in front of the others. The lady lifted her head, looked him steady in the eye and said,

"That's one."

Time passed and the farmer and his lady were invited to the funeral of the mother of the very child whose christening they had attended the year before. At the memorial service, the lady now laughed and danced and sang. Her husband angrily asked her

"Why are you making such a fool of yourself?"

The lady said happily,"The woman's sorrow is over. No longer will she struggle with being poor or mistreated. She is at peace now. Why then should I weep?"

The husband shoved her to keep her quiet and stop her from embarrassing him in front of the other villagers. The lady lifted her head, looked him steady in the eye and said,

"That's two."

Life went on and the farmer and his lady appeared to live happily together, as before. At length, they were invited to attend a wedding where the bride was young and the groom was an older man of money. In the midst of the mirth and celebration of guests who had gathered from all the neighboring countryside, the lake lady burst into tears. Her husband grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to him, whispering fiercely,

"Is there nowhere we can go that you do not embarrass me by making a fool of yourself? What is wrong with you?"

"I weep because youth is married to age for the purpose of riches. It is a bad bargain and I see misery beginning here for both of them."

The lady wrenched her wrist out of her husbands' grasp and added,

"Just as I see it beginning here for you, my husband. You have been rough with me for the third and last time. Farewell."

With that said, she left the wedding banquet. Her husband hurried after her shouting,

"I'm sorry. Forgive me! Please, come back."

But the lake lady moved at such a pace that she was quickly out of sight and beyond hearing. The man reached their farm to find it empty. His wife as well as the flocks and herds were gone. He ran into the hills to the lake where he had first found her. He reached the top of the hill that overlooked the lake just in time to see the woman disappear beneath the surface of the waters, followed by all the flocks and herds. Moments later, there was no trace of their passing. The waters surface was calm and the hillside empty. The only sound that could be heard in that mountain valley was the weeping of a man. A man who knew that he would never again see that which he had once prized, above all else, but had forgotten to love.