When the Icelandic archaeologist and diver Sonja Gudridsdottir released the seaweed statuette and brought it back to the surface, her heart beat wildly. There was no longer any doubt: the wreck that lay beneath his feet at the bottom of the sea was indeed the ship of his eminent professor and thesis director Hans Hoas! At the same time, it meant that his trip to the Norwegian Sea a year earlier had indeed ended badly - which was why he had not given any sign of life for a while. But yet, no trace of his body on board.
He must have drifted into the depths. Sonja had a cold sweat. She knew only too well this statuette, which she had seen many times in the teacher's sketches. It was the statuette of the sea goddess Ran, who was originally on board the "Tre Kronor", a royal ship that sailed one day offshore in search of the Source of Life. According to ancient legends, this statuette was to serve as a talisman to appease the ire of the marine goddess during crossings. But perhaps because of a head-to-air warrant officer, a dazed captain, or simply for lack of attention, the statuette was one day forgotten and remained at the port during an expedition. The ship sank and was never found. We made the absence of the statuette responsible for the sinking, since she was supposed to protect the ship from the sea goddess. What seemed mysterious to Sonja, however, was the fact that the teacher's ship sank despite the presence of the statuette on board. Holding her in his arms, Sonja tried to remember what she had read in ancient writings about Ran:
"... In the daytime, the giant Dag was riding the skies and twinkling a thousand lights the oceans that reflected his steed Skinfaxi, whose fiery mane illuminated the world with a bright glow. At night however, t en algebras r égnaient into the abyss, and many sailors lost their lives. "
The sea goddess Ran ruled the oceans alongside her husband Aegir, and carried sailors drowned in his realm of the dead. She was trying to find a solution to hold back the sunlight so that the bottom of her oceans could be lit up at night too. The men's gold, whose sparkle fascinated Ran, seemed to be ideal for this task.
Thus, Ran promised to save the lives of shipwrecked adventurers if they accepted in exchange to offer all their riches to the sea.
Ran amassed her treasures at the bottom of the sea, and the glow of the oceans, generated by the gold of the night goddess, the shining crowns of her 9 daughters and the sparkling nighttime spray, was soon known as "Meresvlam". Some people also called it the "Ran Sun" or the "Sun of the Abyss".
On the morning of August 10, 2009, Sonja went to sea with her motor boat. In a waterproof case, she had found some personal belongings, money and a gold watch next to the teacher's documents, which she now kept with the statuette in a trunk on the bridge.
Sonja followed the course indicated in the teacher's notes. It was a peaceful and sunny outing, and she was in a good mood. But when the night began to fall, as the first aurora borealis danced on the horizon, a terrible storm arose. Sonja had never seen anything like it. The boat swayed from one wave to another, like a common ping-pong ball, and a whirlwind of water fell on the deck.
"I was trying to hold onto a cable with all my strength when the boat was pulled to the bottom. I was sucked by an immeasurable force, as if the water had suddenly become alive. The next moment, the boat rose abruptly. The trunk containing the statuette was projected on the rail by the current. Under the impact of the shock, it opened and the statuette fell. Immediately, a gigantic, almost transparent, shape sparkled at the bottom of the sea. It was surrounded by a halo of light. The bottom of the ocean was covered with gold and shining like a sun. And here I live! Professor Hoas was walking around, his eyes blank, attached to an anchor chain. But behind him, other people stood, eyes as inert as his, but who moved like living - some drank mead, others danced! Then I remembered one thing! It was said that Ran was saving his life to those who gave all their treasures in exchange. But that did not automatically mean that they would not end up drowning! If they had paid their tribute, Ran let them live in his kingdom of the dead, in the middle of his riches!
In the moment I tore off my collar, took off my rings, and handed them to Ran. She looked at me inquisitively. In panic, remembering the effects of Professor Hoas, I put my hand on the crate in the trunk, before throwing the money and the teacher's watch in his direction. I was really running out of air! Ran sighed, then a smile appeared on his face.
From the corner of my eye, I suddenly saw a glow that I had not detected before. When I turned around, I could see that the statuette had begun to glow. I began to swim quickly towards her, before taking her in my arms. As fast as I was dragged under the water, the statuette catapulted me now towards the surface. I still had time to see the anchor chain coming off Professor Hoas' ankle, which seemed to wave his hand as a sign of goodbye. "
As we know from now on, thanks to the story of Sonja's perilous mission, the statuette could also have saved Professor Hoas' life. But his avarice was obviously fatal to him. The statuette thus makes it possible to highlight the futility of our possessions in the face of the inestimable value of life, while teaching us one thing: only those who are ready to give of themselves will be rewarded with glory and wisdom at the end.