Once, in Minsk lived a young beauty. One day She met a handsome young man and could not tear herself away from his black curls. She looked into hia eyes and reallized how strongly she loved him. The lady spent a lot of time to charm the young man, however in vain. The young man did not reciprocate her feelings. The beauty realized that there was no place for her in his heart.
Once, early in the morning, the unhappy girl went to the bank of the river Svisloch. A strong wind was blowing, and the storm was coming. There, on the bank of the river, she saw her beloved man. He was sitting over the slough, the branches of the willow bending over him, another woman putting her arms round him and kissing his black curls. The girl came closer. She was horrified by what she had seen. Her own mother was hugging her beloved man.
The beauty cried out of surprise. The mother saw her daughter and pushed her into the deep slough in a gust of wild jealousy. The young lady drowned and turned into the mermaid. In the evenings, from the bottom of the river, she saw how her beloved and mother lovingly kissed and hugged each other. She heard their passionate love oaths and merry laugh.
Many years have already passed, the persons ressponsible for her death are no longer alive, however, the heart of the beauty afires with unrequited love as before and her sorrowful song can be heard over the river Svisloch.
