One day Lady Satanay came across a beautiful flower behind a forest pit on the bank of the Kuban (Pshize in Hetiqwey, Psizch in Kabardian. Literally: the Great River).
- "I will plant this exquisite flower at the threshold of our house so that those who see it are filled with wonder, and will marvel at its sight!" she said, and brought it back home, it is said.
She planted the flower. Next day she looked at it: its leaves had wilted - the flower had withered. This made Lady Satanay very sad indeed.
One day she brought back another flower of the self-same kind. "This once I hope it will escape the fate of its sister," she said, then again she planted it in her front garden. Again, this one also drooped and dried.
She brought back another plant. "Unlike its predecessors this one will not dry," she said, and planted it at the threshold. This one's leaves also wilted.
"Why didn't I leave it to grow in the forest pit," she said in regret. Suddenly, dark clouds gathered, and it began to rain cats and dogs. Next day she looked: Lady Satanay's flower revived.
Lady Satanay became very happy. The rainwater had breathed life into the flower. Henceforth, mankind came to appreciate the benefits of water. "Water is equivalent to the soul," said the Narts.
I include the original in a new latinized Kabardian alphabet. Please note that this is an approximation, as some Hetiqwey sounds do not correspond with Kabardian ones. Those familiar with Hetiqwey will easily make the sound adjustments.
Zegwerem a qegheghe dexe dedem fede qihiy: "iperer mix'wghemiy midirer x'wnch'iy x'wn" - i'wiy, yat'wenerew yet'aniy ighe'istagh. Ariy ghwghe.
Yaschenerew qihiy: "iperexem afemidew mir mighwnch'iy x'wn, - i'wiy, pche'wpem 'wiyghe'istagh. Aschiy ithapexem ziqiraghe'ixigh.
Sid paye mez bligwm zerepsawixew qosimighetighex!" - ch'eghwezhighew ischhe fiy'wezhigh. Wescch'e-demisch'ew wafe pshexer qiteyzerehexiy, weshxishxwe qeshxigh. Newzchire mafem yeplhime: Setenay-gwaschem yiqeghaghe ghesch'eghwenew ziqi'etizhigh.
Gwf'aghe Setenay-gwasche. Weshxipsim qeghaghem ipse arewischtew qipiyghech'ezhigh.
Arewischtew aperew tsi'fme psim f'aghew yi'er qasch'agh. "Psir - psem fed" - nartme a'wagh.