Once upon a time , in the depths of the Aegean Sea, lived a kind old man called Nereus. Nereus was the son of Pontus and Gaia. From the very early age he had the gift of prophesy. He was a sea god, well known for the sense of justice and love for mankind, and had the power to continually change shape. He transformed himself into water, fire and air. He would become loving father, friend, brother, child, companion. The purpose of his life was to give. He married a beautiful girl called Dorida who was the daughter of the Ocean. They lived a long and happy life together with their fifty daughters, the Nereids. Nereids' main occupation was weaving.
One day Nereus sensed that something was not right on shore. People were trying to get over the land. They wanted everything for themselves. So he decided to send two of his eldest daughters, Amphitrite and Galatea to help men become virtuous. They unraveled their colour full threads and rose from the deep one beautiful afternoon. They settled on rocks in the middle of the sea and began to weave. Their plan was to make a very long ribbon which would go all the way round the earth, and on it would be written thousands of messages of love, peace and friendship. They wove day and night with great care and patience. Every so often they would stop to enjoy the rosy sunset, the flight of a sea-gull, or a school of dolphins dancing on the water. Their younger sister Thetis swam down to the bottom of the sea and up again bringing threads of coral and pearl.
The ribbon grew longer and longer. At last it was time for it to encircle the earth. Animals and birds organised themselves into groups. With the speed of lighting, the horses spread the ribbon to East and West. Penguins wrapped it around the North and South Pole. Seagulls drew the ribbon over the sea and onto the shore and handed it over to the swallows. Chirping with joy the swallows fastened it to the windows of houses.
When people awoke in the morning they saw the ribbon on their windows. Children curiously red the messages: I HEAR the sound of the bell. I SEE the rosy sunset. I SMELL the jasmine flower. I FEEL the warmth of winter and the cool of summer. I TASTE the sweetness of the water. I ENJOY exuberant springtime. I EXPERIENCE contemplative autumn. I LOVE children and I CARE for the elderly. I am full of Truth, Kindness, Tolerance...
 Children poured into the streets after the ribbon. Adults left their work and followed the children. The squares filled with people of all ages, getting all tangled up in the ribbons as they tried to see and read the messages. The ribbons gleamed on that sunny morning urging people towards an inner quest.
The Nereids' mission was over. Before dusk, Amphitrite and Galatea gathered up their weaving tools and all remaining threads, said goodbye to the seagulls and plunged into the sea.
Where the water received the golden touch of the afternoon sun, was chosen as their diving point.
Marlen Karletidou 1996