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first performed by
Kitoko Nennet
in Rivers Rest
on Feastday,
day 26 of the
month Lormesta,
in
the year 5102
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A long time ago, or perhaps yesterday
I heard a sad story of lovers betrayed
twas a pity
The story begins
a short distance from here
In the time of full moon, in the Spring of the year
near our city
For during
that time you can hear a strange call
"Come one come all to the pale crab ball!"
near the river
"Tis a day to be merry, to dance and to sing
"So come little crabs, let your pincers ring loudly
"with rhythm!"
With eyestalks that wiggled, inside eyeballs jiggled
On quick little legs, they skittered
and zigged
by the dozens
And with them came one, a shy pale-crab lass
Shell polished and sparkling,
to this her first dance
with her cousins
Now off to the side, a band was beginning
With reed pipes
and grass lutes, and shells for a'pinging
the dance started
The pale crabs all rose up on multiple legs
And gracefully spun with each other and swayed
so lighthearted
While pincers were clacking along with
the tune
When no one was watching, slipped into the room
some dark shadows
On soft, fragrant mosses
in sea-scented air
As the company frolicked and danced, unaware
apparitions arose
And suddenly sinuous
shapes intertwined
And through the pale crabs in a serpentine line
came rat dancers
Their black coats
a'gleaming and bright eyes alight
They danced with cold passion on that humid night
slick romancers
The
shy pale crab lass at once stopped her dance
She skittered behind a tall boulder first chance
heart fast beating
None noticed her parting save one dancing shadow
Who slipped from the startled crabs number and followed
her retreating
Near the loud racing river, beside the great boulder
The crab lass was startled to see looming
over
a tall darkness
Retreating in flurry, her legs castanetas
Her terror was total when he leaned close
and whispered
"Well met, lass..."
His black eyes appraised her with hungry intensity
"Do
you dare" he continued, "to come out and dance with me
"this fair night?"
The crab
lass's fear changed at once to intrigue
No threat was this shadow, she suddenly believed
no need for fright
For she saw in his eyes more than hungry amusement
His gaze was admiring, and in her bemusement
she was flattered
With all of her courage, she stopped her legs trembling
She turned her fair eyestalks to him, not dissembling
said, "Aye, sir..."
And out from the boulder into the bright light
Where the pale crabs whirled
left and the rats circle right
came the shy lass
Every pale crab gasped and skittered aside
The dark
rats grinned slyly as the music subsided
to silence
The crab lass's swain turned and stared at the band
In minutes a rollicking ditty began
for the couple
Though no other dancer would dare join the two
All
watched with amazement their dancing debut
movements supple
For no longer shy, she was graceful and sure
And the touch of this rogue made her feel quite secure
it bewitched her
Then suddenly out on legs skittering
fast
Came the oldest pale crab, hissing "Unhand the lass;
"I insist sir!"
The melody
stopped, and in complete silence
Many dozens of eyes watched the tall rat and shy lass
none dared breathing
The ancient old crab with a shell scarred and grey
Grabbed the poor lass to drag her away
he was seething
The crab lass's legs were clicking with terror
And just as the old crab's strong pincer grabbed her
she heard a sound
Not daring to turn, nearly fainting with dread
She watched with amazement the old crab fall,
as dead
upon the ground
Unable to stop, then turn she did, slowly
And there stood her partner, barred
teeth, eyes unholy
with fire
A giant dark shadow, no longer bewitching
His razor teeth bared and his
long whiskers twitching
beside her
The shy pale-crab lass raised one pale pincer to shield her
When
a sneaky fast shadow, streaked in, unconcealed
and impaled her
A kobold stood proudly, his sword strained
and dripping
With a stupid wide grin, he proclaimed, nearly tripping
"Ise nailed her!"
For
this very kobold the rat prince had befriended
When fatally wounded, his life almost ended
he had found him
From then on the kobold swore always to serve him
Feebleminded, and only his promise, unswerving
had bound
him
Now this same dark shadow, son of rivers and king
Stood dumbstruck and stared at this foul living thing
his betrayer
"Healer!" he screamed as he knelt down beside the lass
The kobold stood stupidly,
his sword still held fast
senseless slayer
Though he knew it too late, the rat raged against chance
Then
he heard her speak softly, "thank ye sir, for the dance"
and she smiled
His heart ripped asunder
as she breathed her last
And gently he lowered her down to the grass
this sweet child
He stood, gazing
down, fists clenched, chest a'heaving
Then through gritted teeth, looked around disbelieving
in silence
The dancers stood 'round, faces shocked and heartbroken
Dark rats and pale crabs, bowed their heads, and unspoken
mourned the shy lass
The prince's gaze finally fell on his foe
No word did he speak but the kob seemed
to know
he was doomed
With a faltering bow, the sad slobbering creature
Looked up at his hero, his
friend, and his teacher
guilt consumed
"Go from me now" said the rat, his voice bitter
"For
if ever I see your face near my river;
you will die"
The kob squealed in terror and fled his from
wrath
Then the Dark Prince kneeled down, once more by the lass
and he cried
He looked at those gathered,
the foolish and bravest
He stood, one last bow and bitter smile he gave us
then he disappeared
I shall
never forget for as long as live
How I mourned in the shadows where I all night I'd hid
quite near
I
watched as the crabs and the rats slipped away
And it's said that they live there in peace to this day
and I
recall
That never again have they seen the dark prince
Tis true, none I asked ever saw his face since
the last, and the saddest
pale crab ball
Sara Michele O'Sullivan
Copyright 2002. All rights reserved.
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