*All the stories in this web site are protected by the copyright law (Law no: 23/2010. Copy right aa e aa gulhey ehen haggu thakuge gaanoon) of the republic of Maldives.
by Yasir Salih
This is a story about a fereytha, a monster of the sea, which was transformed into a star after a battle with a master fandithaveriya (performer of magic, astrological applications and exorcism).
Long time ago, in Fuvahmulah, a fisherman named Hassan Beyyaa, who was also a master fandithaveriya, used to go to Neregando beach for fishing on the reef. Every night he went to catch reef fish.
In early days, people used the beach and thick vegetation for passing motion. One night when Hassan Beyyaa was passing motion on the beach, a monster in the form of a woman approached from behind him. The monster was trying to hold the Hassan Beyyas’ neck. However, Hassan Beyyaa felt a slight movement from behind him and he turned around to see what was behind him.
When Hassan Beyyaa turned around, the fereytha unleashed its hand towards his neck. But he backed away and escaped from the attack. Then Hassan Beyyaa lashed at the fereytha and held its long hair that stretched to its feet.
The monster cried in pain and promised that it will never disturb anybody in the island. But Hassan Beyyaa whirled its long hair on to his hand and swirled around him in a circular motion and threw away the monster. It vanished in seconds and a bright star appeared in the sky above neregando. People say that the monster is seen as a bright star above the Neregando Sea.