Clever Little Book

Chapter 11 The Lover’s Dream

  It was the beginning of a New Year, and all of the other Seamen had gone on a big fishing expedition to compete for the title of “Master Seaman”. It was an honor awarded to the Captain of the vessel that returned in two days with the largest fish.

  The old seaman looked in the dream as he had when he was around twenty eight and twenty nine years old. However, he did not go out that year. In the dream he rose from his bed and strolled out onto the roof of a beautiful Hacienda where he was vacationing in the old country of Spain.

  From the roof he saw a young woman bathing who was very beautiful. In all of his travels to distant lands as a seaman and having seen many gorgeous women, he hadn't seen another who could rival this young woman for beauty.

  The old Seaman inquired about the young woman with a native of the town and he was told, “She is Isabel a princess from EL Salvador who pays a visit to Spain every year.”

  The old Seaman was smitten by young Isabel and sent a messenger to invite her up to the house for dinner. When she came up to him they enjoyed a night of dinner and dancing and at the end of the night the old Seaman asked for the princess' hand in marriage.

  Suddenly they were both awakened by the screeching whistle of the tea kettle! The old woman had forgotten to take it off of the fire. The old seaman smelled smoke. Jumping up he dashed into the kitchen, removed the kettle from the fire, and shut the stove off.

  The old woman just smiled as she watched him. He was very agile for a man his age and she liked that.

  “Not to worry,” the old seaman said. “It's just a little smoke.”

  And for the first time in many years the old woman truly wasn't worried. She felt as if the old seaman could handle anything that came up and that he would. Looking at the clock the old woman saw that it was 3:30am.

  “I want to show you something!” she exclaimed. “Are you up for a little walk?” she asked the seaman.

  “Yes, I am,” he said.

  Grabbing her bag and taking him by the hand she led him out the door and down the street.

  “Come, we must hurry,” the old woman said.

  “Where are we going?” the old seaman asked as they hurried along.

  “You'll see when we get there,” the old woman said excitedly and they continued to walk.

  She was taking him down to the ship yard to meet the Watcher and also to hear the Siren's Song. She thought it would be a beautiful gift to give him. A gift like none other he'd ever received. As they approached the Ship Yard they could see a bright light of some kind.

  “That's unusual,” the old woman said.

  The closer they got, the brighter the light became to them.

  “If I didn't know better I would say the whole dock was on fire,” the old seaman said as they walked on.

  When they reached the ship yard they were both amazed at what they saw! At the entrance of the ship yard there appeared as it were, two huge men both holding flaming swords of fire that turned every way to keep the way of the dock. It appeared as though the whole dock was burning, but it wasn't.

  “I see you have found your love,” they heard a thunderous voice behind them. As they turned the old woman saw that It was the man who called himself a Watcher.

  “Yes I believe I have,” she said softly.

  “And do you love him?” the Watcher asked her.

  “I believe I do,” she said.

  “Well then why have you brought him here?” The Watcher asked her. The old woman was confused now. The Watcher repeated his question.

  “If you love him, why would you bring him here at this time of the morning?”

  “I wanted him to meet you and to hear the Song of the Siren,” she said still confused. “I thought it would be a beautiful gift to him, like none other he's ever received, and that he'd never forget,” she said.

  “You're right,” the Watcher said sternly. “He would surely never forget it.”

  “I thought he would enjoy it and that maybe he could even explain to me what the Siren's Song sounds like,” the old woman said turning again to look at the strange men with the flaming swords that seemed to bar the way.

  “And would you have him forever bewitched?” the Watcher asked her. “Would you have your love entranced by the enchanting chords and intoxicating melody of the Siren's Song? So much entranced that as you set out on your voyage, your only fate would surely be a horrible crash upon the rocks?”

  “Why NO! I guess I hadn't thought of it that way,” the old woman said taking the old seaman by the hand and stepping slightly in front of him.

  “Then you really should not have brought him here,” the Watcher replied. “I know your love seems bigger than life to you, and like he can just do anything...but I assure you he would fall under the spell of the Siren just as any other man. Have you forgotten so soon, the reason I am posted here every morning? It is to remind those who have been bewitched and gather to pay homage to the Siren and to hear her song, that her song is unto death and not for love.”

  “I knew you would come here today,” the Watcher told the old woman. “And I also knew that you would bring your love, because as a mere mortal you don't understand what the consequence could have been in him having come. That is why I made petition to the Great One, that He would have these two bar the way this morning.” the Watcher went on. “Because you have waited so faithfully for so long for your love, that I'd not see it whisked so soon out of your hand. And although the Great One gave me all the understanding I would ever need in the day that I was created, I must say I understand today, what you humans mean when you say that love makes you do crazy things,” and the Watcher went silent.

  Right then, the sea of men began to arrive at the ship yard. They all stopped at the entrance and still appeared entranced and wanting to go in, but were also barred and so could not get up to the dock to hear the Song of the Siren.

  “And what of these today,” the old woman asked the Watcher.

  The Watcher looked up into the sky and said, “Because of one man, today all of these are made free.”

  “How is this possible?” the old woman asked him.

  “I told you, all things are possible to them that believe,” the Watcher replied and he began to tell them all a story about the origin of the Siren's Song.