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Aci and Galatea

Aci was a young boy, son of Faun and the nymph Simetide, in love with a beautiful nymph named Galatea. The young people spent moments by the sea: Aci, grazed his sheep near to the sea, home of Galatea. Unfortunately, Polyphemus, one of the Cyclops who lived on the Volcano, fell in love with the young nymph Galatea and would have done anything for having her. The beautiful nymph continued to refuse any attempt by Polyphemus, so the cyclops to take revenge for his refusals, decided to kill poor Aci. One day, while Aci and Galatea were as usual on the seashore, Polyphemus threw a heavy boulder of lava on Aci, so Aci died leaving Galatea in despair. The Olympian gods and nymphs transformed the blood of Aci into a river, originally called Akis, which has its source on Etna and flows right into the beach where the two lovers used to meet.

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