"The Ballad of Gentana Lasleen" by Jennifer L. Post

Oh once there was a bright fairy maid

who sat by the banks of a stream;

fairer by far than sun, moon, or stars

and her name was Gentana Lasleen.

Now her stream was set deep in the forest,

quite secluded and out of the way,

and she started to feel rather lonely

sitting there by herself everyday.

“Oh stream,” said she, “Can you tell me please,

is there no way to ease my heart’s pain?”

But the stream only laughed as it gurgled along.

“Of course silly girl, use your brain!”

So she pondered and wondered, and thought very hard

while around her, the day fluttered on,

and then, as the sun fell away in the west,

a brilliant idea did dawn.

After all, was she not a fairy?

With charms that none could withstand?

So why was she sitting here sighing,

when she could be out catching a man?

The very next day she hid out by the road

and watched all the people go by.

Until one came along who was all by himself,

a handsome young man with brown eyes.

Now the youth was a woodcutter’s son

who went by the name Tam O’Rourk.

He was wandering ‘round, quite aimless and free,

in search of some place he could work.

He’d been walking for over three hours

and was ready to stop for a while;

when suddenly, he saw a young maid,

a lovely form born to beguile.

“Come follow me, come away with me love.”

she whispered with eyes that shown blue.

Then with a wink, and a flick of her hair, she was off.

Just what was the poor boy to do?

Well you know how they go, fairy stories,

Tam walked forth as if in a dream.

He followed the flitting sweet vision

and found himself soon by the stream.

Then there stood the maiden before him,

more lovely than any he’d seen.

She smiled at him softly and whispered,

“My name is Gentana Lasleen.”

Tam took her white hand and kissed it,

and the fairy was glowing with pride.

His eyes shone; she could tell he adored her

when he asked to remain by her side.

They shared many bright days together,

the demure fairy maid and her Tam.

But one day she left him alone by the stream,

and that’s where the trouble began.

He was sitting there, on a mossy bank,

composing a song for his love,

but as he hummed out a tune, which he thought she would like,

a much sweeter voice rose above.

“Light trickle down, and sun trickle down,

down to the depths of the sea.

I’ll sing you a song love, only for you

If only you’ll come to me.”

The song went on thusly, quite pretty,

and the young man could not help but hear.

For such songs sung by magical creatures

command even a sorcerer’s ear.

Gentana returned within minutes,

her arms full of flowers for Tam.

When she saw he was gone, she cried out in alarm,

“I must find him as fast as I can!”

With light running steps she followed the stream,

till it flowed to a deep green lagoon.

Tam was kneeling there, by the water’s edge,

grinning at the pool like a goon.

Then a mermaid emerged from the water,

with gold hair like sun in the south.

Gentana watched her, in fury,

as she kissed that fool Tam on the mouth!

“What are you doing? That mortal is mine!”

she yelled at the fishy blonde whore.

“I lured him in fair.” the mermaid replied,

and kissed the poor mortal once more.

Now Tam, the poor boy, was quite in a trance.

The kisses had muddled his brain.

Before he could notice, he’d been pulled in the water

by the funny new, golden haired dame.

Down, down he sank till his lungs cried for air;

still she pulled him, the girl was deranged!

Through his panic and horror he heard the girl singing

and realized her song was now changed.

“Blood trickle down, and life trickle down,

down in the water with me.

For so long I’ve longed for a man all my own

to drown in the depths of the sea.”

Then all of a sudden, the song was cut off

by a cry like the rush of the wind.

Around them the water was swirling like mad,

and Tam felt himself rising again.

The next thing he knew, he was back on the shore,

his head resting on Gentana’s lap.

The fairy grinned, with a wave at the pool.

“Aha! Stupid mermaid, take that!”

Then she smiled down at Tam and said, “Now my love,

I’m afraid that you must make a choice.

For when like magics take hold, then the mortal must choose.

So it is me, or the girl with the voice?

And what did Tam answer?

Why, all she could wish.

“I’m through with that girl,

she is one MESSED UP fish!”

The Gentana smiled her bright fairy smile

for she knew that no more could he stray.

“Ha ha!” laughed the stream. “Ho, Hei! It would seem,

that good sense has indeed won the day!”