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Library: Sailor and Mermaid
Books
Author: Gzi
Date:Oct 13 2002
Once in the years back I was wandering around the world aimlessly
and I came across with a small warf. There I met Cheralis, a sailor
of many seas. He was a simple fellow, there was three things he enjoyed
most, sailing, beer and women and not everytime in that order.
I was looking a safe passage from the mainland to some island which
would come across first to explore the place and keep me boredom
level quite low. So I went to speak with Cheralis and inquire how much
it would rip me small pouch of silver to get to me destination.
We sat down to a small table in nearby tavern and ordered beer.
As the time flew by we chat about this and that, but finally
came around a deal and sealed with a handshake.
The next morning the air was fresh from the rain and the sun was
shining brightly at the eastern horizon. I stretched meself
and continued to walk down to the warf where Cheralis was waiting
for me. As I arrived to him on his face was a somehow distant look
and yet a sad smile. I asked him if there was any troubles, but
he just sighed and ensured me that everything was in order.
Well, I took his word from it and walked up the plank to the deck of
the ship. On the deck I saw seamen running around and preparing for
sail out - so I went below the deck to look a place for me to drop
me bags.
I searched a bit, but then found a nice and cozy corner and put down
me bags and decided to take a little nap while waiting the ship to
sail out and I fell to sleep.
I saw meself standing on a beach on an island. I've never seen
that place before, but yet it felt very familiar to me.
Then I heard beautiful singing coming from the sea and I saw a
not a woman, but a woman who was half fish!
She gave me a friendly smile, but I noticed a odd sadness in it.
Same kind what I had seen in me newest friend's smile at the warf.
Then she continued her song, I didn't understand the words, but it
had strange sound of longing in it. I tried to walk toward her, but
then everything went dark and something hit me and I woke up.
The one what hit me was a ship boy, I assumed that his age was somewhere
around sixteen or seventeen. Obviously he didn't notice me until it was
too late and that's why stumbled on me - not to mention he spilled
a couple of mugs of ale all over me.
So I helped him up and asked for a pint of ale (which I thought was
quite reasonable for me pain and sufferings) and he went back to the
ship's kitchen and I walked upto the deck to see what the weather was
like.
The air from the sea was refreshing and soon after I had come to the
deck the ship boy came to me with me pint of ale and I gladly accepted
it. The ale was tasty and I felt great. Then I saw Cheralis leaning to
the ships border and again with that same distant look and sad smile on
his face. This time I wouldn't drop it, this oddity tingled me curiosity
too much that I could just shove it somewhere and forget it.
So I walked upto him and asked 'What is bothering you me friend?' trying
not to sound too curious.
'Nothing that would shake the world around' he answered.
That was it, I couldn't bear it anymore so a frog came out of me mouth,
'Sheesh Ceralis, you look like you're about to dive over board and you
say it is nothing?!' I yelled.
He was startled, obviously he didn't think that his face was all THAT
obvious, well, in matter of fact it wasn't, but my curiosity just couldn't
leave it.
'Well' he said, 'Are you sure you want to hear this? And promise not to
laugh if I sound a bit off headed?' he asked.
I nodded for agreement and sat down over some ropes and lighted up me
rollie.
'It all started about two years ago when we passed an island during this
same route that we are going this time. There was a huge amount of fog
one day and we had to lower down our anchor and just wait that the fog
would clear off.' he started his story.
'After some hours the fog started to clear off a bit and we start hearing
singing coming from somewhere. The sound was beautiful, but yet I did not
understand the words.' he continued.
'Then the fog cleared totally and we saw a women who was half a fish sitting
on a small rock raising from the sea next to an small island.' then he
paused, had a angry look on his face and said 'You promised to laugh!'.
'No no!' I said 'I wasn't laughing at that, I was just laughing at this
whole thing, you see, when I was taking a nap below the deck I had a dream
where was this beautiful women and yes, she was half a fish and she was
singing like you told me.'
Ceralis had an odd look on his face as he looked me 'You saw that too?' he
asked.
I nodded to confirm that it was how I told him.
'Well well, isn't this a bit odd.' he said.
Then I told him rest of the dream and what happened and how the
ship boy had stumbled and spilled those mugs of godly drink all over me.
Ceralis laughed out loud and then he started to continue his story.
'Anyway' he said, 'The other men on the ship didn't seem to notice her in
any way and it seemed that she was only singing to me.' he was pondering
over some problem and then continued, 'it seems very strange now that I
think of it, but the thing that troubles me was that she stole my heart
and since that day I've been trying to find her again.' he ended.
'Hmmm.. perhaps we might meet her again on this trip, would you say?' I asked.
Ceralis pondered for a moment, and then sighed and said, 'perhaps, but not
very likely. You see, I've been sailing this same route for 2 years, but
haven't seen her again since then.' he had again that sad look on his face.
'Cheer up mate' I said, 'lets go down the kitchen and see if we could 'borrow'
some more of that tasty ale you have on board.'
A wide grin came on his face as he nodded approvingly to our little scheme.
We managed to 'borrow' a small sized barrel full of that godly drink and
ended up drinking it at the head of the ship.
We told stories and jokes to each other while drinking the ale so much we
enjoyed that afternoon that we lost time itself. At the evening a huge
fog started to form around the ship and I heard the sailors cursing their
bad luck that they had to stop the ship and wait longer than they wanted
to stay the ship. Well, that's reasonable since I bet they have some
'friendly' ladies waiting at the other end them to arrive to the shore.
Oh well, I shrugged and then it hit me and I turned to me friend and
asked 'Well Ceralis, what do you think' and I had a wicked grin on me
face, 'Do you think someone might entertain us with her song tonight?'.
Ceralis blushed and started to stutter, 'Hehe, perhaps so my friend.' and
then he sighed.
The time passed, but alas, we did not hear no singing. So we went down the
deck and fall asleep.
On the next morning the fog was still there as me and Ceralis walked on
the deck.
Then the fog started to clear of and Ceralis sighed sadly and said 'I knew
it was too good to be..' and then we heard it.
Beaturiful singing coming from the fog, it was like no other and I've heard
many songs in me life.
Then we saw her, but strangly no one else than me and Ceralis seemed to
see her.
Then Ceralis turned to me and said, 'Well friend, this is the day I've been
waiting for since the years back I met her first time.' he sighed, 'This
time I'm not gonna waste another years and wait so I could meet her again.'
Then he continued, 'May your journey be prosperous and filled with excitement,
friend, as I say goodbye to you and everything else.'
I looked dazled and tried to protest, but Ceralis raised his hand and said,
'Do not argue, since I have a small favour to ask.'
Then I just nodded and listened.
'My old mom lives in Kaltahar and if you could go there and tell her
that I've found it what I was looking for, I bet that she understands
and does not worry after me.'
I nodded and accepted his request. Well, it gives me to get a chance to
meet those famous red-headed girls again in Kaltahar, I grinned.
Ceralis nodded smiling and jumped over board. And swimmed to the singing
fishlady, fishlady? No, that would not be the name to call that heavenly
woman, instead Mermaid would be the right term.
I watched those two when they met at the rock and then they kissed and
dived into the sea. After a while I bet it was just me own imagination,
but it seemed like they both have had a fish tail!
Well, then the other sailors had pulled the sails up and the ship started
to sail towards its destination.
After while I ended up in Kaltahar and delivered the message to Ceralis
mom and she seemed to answer the news just with a mysterious smile.
After that I spent some times with those red-headed girls and then came
the time to continue me journey onwards, but that is a different story.
/ Gzi
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