Arrr! Let me tell ye a tale from long ago o' a pirate and his lass.
Cap'n Shaw was a pirate most rugged and afeared! He be sailin’ the best ship in the seven seas, the Blithe Drifter. And there not be another ship or another crew finer than his.
One balmy day, when he and his crew had put their ship to port, Cap'n Shaw be be spyin’ some camels settin' there at the dock. Thinkin' that one o’ them could fetch a high price, he be saunterin’ o'er to the finest lookin’ one. They were all chained together, but there was ne’er a lock that could keep anythin’ from Cap'n Shaw. Lookin’ round to make sure the land lubber what was guardin’ the camels be lookin’ the other way, Cap'n Shaw be takin’ off his hat, and fetchin’ out his lock picks. After one more look ‘round, he be settin’ to work to purloin the fine camel.
He’d just got the lock clicked open and be straightenin’ up, takin’ the camel’s harness to tow her along, when his eye caught on the fairest lass he e’er had seen.
“Blimey!” He could do nothin’ but stare. “Would ya blow me o'er!”
The lass was indeed as fair as a clear sky and as radiant as polished gold. His pirate heart, wind weathered and sea hardened, beat fer somethin’ besides loot fer the first time in his life.
Then the camel bit him on the shoulder and he jumped, turnin’ to swat the camel’s head away. When he looked back, the lass be gone.
Cursin' under his breath, he scanned the crowd, tuggin' on the camel’s harness to get her to walk, pullin’ her in the direction the lass had gone.
He spotted the lass a few moments later. She was headed toward the docks, weavin’ through the crowd.
“Avast there, lass,” Cap'n Shaw said, catchin' her up. “But I think ye might o’ dropped somethin’.”
She turned. Now that he was closer, he could see tears sparklin' in her eyes.
The pirate plucked a necklace o' pearls from the decoration on his feathered hat.
“Oh!” The lass put her hand to her throat. “I’ve ne'er owned such a fine piece o' jewelry!”
“I be sure it was ye what dropped it,” the pirate said. “Nothin’ else in this port be pretty enough fer it.”
The lass blushed.
“Go on,” he said, holdin' it out.
“I can’t accept a gift from the likes of you,” she said, but she gave him a small smile.
“Why e’er not?”
She leaned in close and whispered, “You’re a pirate!”
Cap'n Shaw put the hand holdin' the pearl necklace to his chest in mock offense. “My lass! I be no dishonorable man! Just a gentleman o’ fortune, that be all.” He winked.
“Then may I ask where that camel came from?”
He looked round at the beast. “This be me old mate, Humpy.”
The lass raised an eyebrow. “Then why is she wearing the harness of my father’s camels?”
The pirate looked at the harness he was holdin’. “Blimey! How did yer father’s harness get onto me old bestie?”
“You’d best be gone right quick,” the lass said, “if you want to make your escape with that beast. My father will be back as soon as he finishes with the rug merchant. He’s purchasing items for my dowry.”
Cap'n Shaw frowned. “Ye’re to be married?”
She nodded, and the tears reappeared at the bottoms o' her eyes.
“Well, then I’ve found myself in a right bit o’ luck! Fer that means ye aren’t married yet!” He held out the pearl necklace again. “Go on. Take a gift from a poor heartsick lad.”
“For all I know,” said the lass, “that necklace belonged to some poor woman who walked by not five minutes ago.”
“Indeed!” said Cap'n Shaw. “T’was ye!” he held it out again and it twinkled prettily in the sun.
“I really cannot accept it,” she said, turnin' away.
“Come now,” the pirate dropped the camel’s harness and caught her elbow. “I swear on the tattoo o' me mum’s name that I be gettin' this necklace honorably.”
She blinked a few times, and he saw the tears start to collect at the corners o' her eyes, threatenin' to fall. “Very well,” she said, and turned, liftin' her hair so he could fasten it 'round her neck. Once it was on, she turned again to face him and touched the pearls. “These are fitting,” she said, “for where I’m going.”
“Where ye be goin',” the pirate asked.
She shook her head. “Nowhere that you can follow.”
The pirate put his hand to his heart. “I be followin' ye to the ends o' the earth, me lass!”
She gave a small smile again. “I guess if anyone could follow me, it would be a pirate.”
“I be followin' ye to Davy Jone’s locker itself!”
“Good,” she said. “Because that’s about where I’ll be.” Still holdin' the pearl necklace against her collar bone, she be walkin’ toward the docks once more.
Cap'n Shaw, the stolen camel forgotten, followed. “Wait! At least be tellin’ me yer pretty name!”
“My name is Aerwyna,” she called o’er her shoulder.
“Aerwyna,” Cap'n Shaw said. “I knew it would be as beautiful as ye!”
It soon became apparent that Aerwyna was intent not on reaching the docks, but on the water itself.
“Ye no be thinkin' o' drownin' yerself!” The pirate snatched her arm to stop her from walkin' straight into the ocean.
“Of course not,” she said, pullin’ her arm away. “But I have no choice. I must be in the water before sundown.”
“I can take ye on me boat,” the pirate said. “We’ll be out on the water a’fore the sun winks out.”
She shook her head again. “No. Not on the water. In the water.”
He scratched his head beneath his hat. “What fer?”
But just then the sun slid below the horizon behind the lass, the orange trail across the water dissolvin'. The lass cried out and fell. The pirate moved to catch her a'fore she hit the deck.
As he scooped her into his arms, he realized she no longer had two solid legs to support her, but that a green fish tail was floppin' out the end o' her dress.
He gasped. “Shiver me timbers! Ye be a mer-folk!”
Aerwyna nodded. “I told you the pearls were fitting,” she said.
Cap'n Shaw knelt at the side o' the dock and gently lowered her into the cold water. She shivered and her dress floated up 'round her.
“How did ye be getin’ like this?” He asked.
“I’ve been cursed,” she said.
“Show me the scallywag what’s done this, and I be makin' him walk the plank!” Cap'n Shaw said. “I be keelhaulin' him! I be skewerin' his gizzard! I be makin' him lie in Davy Jone’s locker, I be!”
“There’s nothing you can do,” she said. “I’m betrothed to a gentleman, but he is so odious that I refuse to marry him. My father went to the sea witch in a rage and had her curse me to be a mermaid until I agree to marry. But I never will.”
“Yer own father be doin' this to ye?”
She nodded.
A new voice came across the dock to them. “Ahoy!”
Cap'n Shaw startled and almost fell into the water as well.
“What ye be starin' at, Cap'n?” Another pirate came up along the boardwalk, grinnin', a silver tooth glintin' in his smile.
The lass darted under the dock.
“Ahoy, Black Boot!” Cap'n Shaw straightened up. “I be conversin' with the fairest lass I e’er seen!” He pointed under the dock where the lass peeked out.
Black Boot scratched under his cap. “What she be doin' under there?”
Cap'n Shaw leaned in. “She be a mer-folk! I be rescuein' her from a scally sea witch’s curse!”
Black Boot got down on hands and knees to look under the dock at the lass. “Ye’d best not be runnin' a rig on me, Cap'n!”
“I ain’t!” Cap'n Shaw said. “I swear it on me mum’s tattoo!”
“Ho ho!” Black Boot said, raisin’ his eye-patch as he be catchin’ sight o’ the lass’s mer-tail. “That be a fish tail if e’er I saw one!”
The lass swished her tail splashin' Black Boot who pulled back.
“I know I be a bit squiffy,” Black Boot said, “but this here is the strangest thin' I e’er laid eyes on! How do ye plan on rescuin' her from this here fish-curse?”
Cap'n Shaw scratched his beard. “I be thinkin' we run down this sea witch and give her a good keel-haulin'!”
“That won’t work,” Aerwyna said, poking her head out from under the dock.
“Why e’er not?” Cap'n Shaw asked.
“She’s full of dark magic. She’ll turn you into a clam as soon as blink.”
“Let her try!” Said Cap'n Shaw. “I bet I be takin' her down in a duel!”
The lass shook her head. “You have to make a deal with her. I suspect my father paid her handsomely for this spell.”
“I can be payin' her!” Cap'n Shaw said.
“Now, don’t ye be givin’ away all your booty there, Cap'n!” Black Boot said.
“I have booty to spare!” Cap'n Shaw said. At a disapprovin' look from the lass he said, “I be puttin' it to a good cause now that I be rescuin' ye!”
Black Boot sat down on the dock, lettin' his legs dangle. “Where be this sea witch residin' anyhow?”
The lass turned in the water and pointed one drippin' finger. The two pirates followed its path.
“On Sea Scourge Island?” The land was a dark mass on the horizon, with crooked trees and craggy rocks.
Black Boot shook his head. “Not e’en the most fearsome o' us pirates dares to walk on that cursed land!”
Cap'n Shaw knocked the back o' Black Boot’s head. “We be no common pirates! We be gentlemen, we be!”
Black Boot rubbed his head and glared at Cap'n Shaw. “I don’t know what sort o' gentlemen ye be thinkin' we are, but-“
“And I be afeared o' no one and nothin'!” Cap'n Shaw said loudly. “I be settin' sail this moment fer Sea Scourge Island, and I dare any nay-sayers to step forward so I can give ‘em a black eye!” Without waitin' fer nay-sayers, Cap'n Shaw marched down the gangplank and aboard his ship.
Black Boot crossed his arms. “I ain’t bein' fish food fer some black magic witch!”
“Ne'er fear, me lass!” Cap'n Shaw said. “I be breakin' yer curse a’fore mornin'! And then we shall be sailin’ the seven seas together!”
“I never said I was going sailing with you!” The lass called after him, but he didn’t hear.
He drew up the anchor and began mannin' the sails alone. He was the most skilled pirate to e’er man the Blithe Drifter, but he had rarely sailed her alone. He approached the island as cautious as a little fish comin’ on a shark. He donned his jacket and sheathed his sword. There wasn’t a good place for dockin’, so he be droppin’ anchor and divin’ o’er board, swimmin' the last mile inland.
Listen to the narration of this story on YouTube: Art In Chancing
art by Rachel Murphy
Her Website: artinchancing.com
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