A Merfolk Tale

Once upon a time, there were mermaids and mermen. But they lived in different parts of the ocean. The mermaids lived in the Crystal Caves where lilies bloom, and the mermen lived in the starlit cove on lofts of coral above the seabed. It seemed that they had lived this way for generations, and hardly met. This is, frankly, mystifying, as they are not, as all species, capable of spontaneous regeneration. But that is not the theme of the story.

A beautiful mermaid, who lived in the Crystal Caves, had children, which bewildered the other mermaids. It was because the children were mermen who did not resemble their mother at all. Mermaids have red and golden tresses, pointed noses, captivating voices, beautiful and expressive eyes. But the brood whom the mermaid bore were strange. They had webbed feet instead of a fishtail with golden scales, had short black locks, bodies covered with green scales and had slit eyes, which, to the mermaids, looked fierce and terrifying. In their eyes, they were ugly creatures.

Now mermaids, like the fishes, lay their eggs on the corals during the season when it releases its spores to regenerate. And for some reason beyond my ability to explain, there is a magical event that takes place and the eggs are transformed into little mermaids… exact replicas of their mothers. The mermen, do the same thing, but in a different season, and in another location.

It was a stormy day in May when the beautiful one from the Crystal Caves strayed from her usual trail while collecting pearls from the oyster patch. She saw the merman who happened to be caught in a fierce eddy, swept by the currents of a passing squall. She reached out and plucked the strange creature from his predicament. He was quite muscular with webbed feet instead of a fish tail and had green scales all over. His locks were black and his eyes were slits that made him look menacing. But he was weak from the struggle with the powerful tide, and in gratitude, he told her of the land beyond the Crystal Caves and the lilies, where the stars light the sky, and where the corals form platforms and enclosures for their dwellings.

She had never heard of such a thing before and she listened raptly to his astonishing tale. She held his hands and asked if it were possible to see the place. But he told her that their places were separated by a barrier of strong ocean tides, and that he would never have met her had she not plucked him out of the vortex brought about by the passing storm. So he stayed for a while to tell her more about his place and the inhabitants of the starlit shore.

It was the time of the year when corals spawn and mermaids lay their eggs. And the time drew near for the seasonal observance. The mermaid told the merman of this ritual and was told in turn that they had something similar. So she invited him to the annual ceremony of the spawning of the corals. And he deposited his share of his seeds. Shortly, it was time to go and she reluctantly saw him off. He was clearly fascinated by the notion that he shared this world with beautiful creatures. He threw himself into raging currents and was swiftly borne back to the starlit shores.

Later, in the Crystal Caves, the beautiful one was pressed to explain what brought her odd offspring about. She told the mermaids of her encounter with that strange being and what he told her about the place and creatures beyond the Crystal Cave. She described how he had joined her in the spawning of the corals, pointing out that, mermen, have a similar ritual to generate, though held in a different season. The mermaids shook their heads in disbelief.

“What shall we do about them then?” they said, in reference to the merman progeny.

“Perhaps, we could make them our slaves.” someone suggested.

“They’re ugly creatures but they seem strong and would able to do work around the oyster patch.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. And a decree was passed by the mermaid council, that henceforth, all mermen in mermaid society shall be slaves. It was unanimously approved

As for the erstwhile merman, upon reaching the starlit shores, he often thought of the beautiful Crystal Caves, and the alluring mermaid who plucked him from the vortex. His heart ached to go back and once more hear her enchanting voice and to gaze upon her captivating eyes. As this story is being written, he is preparing  to return to the Crystal Caves where the lilies bloom…