Nélida; Hervé; Julien

On a bright June noon, sunlight spreads over a tranquil lake where swans glide beneath weeping willows. Two children sit in a small boat, hand in hand—Guermann, a sturdy boy of about twelve, and Nélida, a delicate girl a year younger. Their conversation crackles with youthful daring as Guermann insists on breaking free to find a hidden swallow’s nest, while Nélida, trembling yet intrigued, clings to his side as reeds rustle around them.

Pushing through the thick reeds, they discover a cluster of emerald‑tinged eggs glinting in the sun, a marvel that fills Nélida with awe at nature’s hidden treasures. Guermann’s boldness reveals a restless spirit eager to escape the limits of his rural life, while their playful banter about fear and imagined maternal scoldings captures the fragile innocence of childhood. This moment sets the tone for a story that follows their intertwined growth, exploring love, faith, and the pull of a world beyond the water’s edge.