There were two islands called Benu and Glenu around Holstein Castle located next to the Zeeland coast. On these two islands, there were forests, ranches¹, fields, churches and towns. These two islands were located close to each other side by side.

One night, there was a big rainstorm. The earth and sky were shaking and the ground seemed to crack, the church bells swayed and tolled² by themselves, sea waves roared higher than ever before.

The next morning, Benu completely disappeared as if it had never existed before. Even now, on quiet summer evenings, some fishermen say they saw the white church tower of Benu under the sea, and others say they heard the church bell.

The legend, 'Benu is laying down deep under the sea waiting for Glenu', spread across the whole town, and when rainstorms rose up, the children of Glenu shivered and heard the sound of waves with fear.

"Is Benu going to take Glenu away under the sea tonight?" The children used to be terrified with this thought and muttered prayers, and went to bed. But the next morning, Glenu was still there. Forests, fields full of fully³ ripened⁴ grains, and picturesque⁵ farmhouses⁶ are all still there.

But Glenu was looking forward to the day. Even though it does not know how many days it has to wait, Glenu knows that someday it will disappear before anyone is aware of it.

Suddenly one morning, the Glenu that was there had vanished. Even the day before yesterday, wild swans were swimming through the sea between Zeeland and Glenu, sailing boats were passing by smoothly⁷, people were riding horse carriages which splashed water and went to Glenu, but one day Glenu vanished forever.

When you travel far away from Holstein for 10 years and come back, forests may be surrounded by an open and green plain, and you may smell the hay. You may doubt your eyes looking at where you are and the houses that you've never seen before.

Holstein castle will still be glittering its golden spire⁸, but the castle will look as if it moved 1 mile to the inland. You will reach the shore crossing forests and fields, but there is no island in your sight but a boundless⁹ ocean, you will ask yourself this,

"Did Benu finally take Glenu? One night, did the rainstorm that shakes the sky and earth really move Holstein castle 1 mile inland?" However, the rainstorms will never arise, and this will happen at noon in bright sunlight.

It will be men who will build banks around Glenu, linking Glenu and Zeeland draining the sea. And then, they will turn the place into a rich plain

As the legend says, even though Glenu will vanish, Zeeland will be broader. It is not Benu that will take Glenu away, but it is Zeeland that will hold Glenu with its long and wide bank.