Exercise Your Imagination! Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
Ravenna settled into her chair and sipped her jasmine tea. Herman was looking at her with a big smile on his face.
“Thanks for the lasagna. I didn’t know that you were such a splendid cook.” Looking at his grandchildren, he confirmed, “It was much better than a frozen TV dinner, wasn’t it?” Myrtle and Mason nodded their heads vigorously. Herman returned his gaze to Ravenna and winked.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she replied.
“Baba, can you start the story? I want to hear about Cora and the mermaid,” Zerlinda said.
“I want to hear about the prince!” Mason interjected.
“No, Mason!” she rejoined. “Myrtle and I want to hear about the girls. Don’t we, Myrtle?”
Myrtle agreed. “Yea, Mason. We want to hear what’s happening to Cora, not Thaddeus.”
Mason looked peevish and crossed his arms over his chest, but said nothing as his grandfather looked askance at him.
“Why don’t we let Mrs. Mariposa decide what to tell us about?” Herman stated.
“Well… Maybe we should find out about Cora. We haven’t heard about her in a while.” Ravenna looked at Mason. “Don’t worry, Mason, we’ll get back to Thaddeus.”
His shoulders slumped, but Mason agreed. “Okay.”
“As Cora waited for the mermaid to return, she became fidgety. Turning to Owl, she remarked, ‘I’m bored. When do you suppose she’ll come back?’
‘Patience is a virtue, Princess,’ Owl replied as he ruffled his feathers. ‘I’m sure she’ll be back soon.’ Truth be told, Owl was also bored sitting on the rock, staring at the waves. The rhythmic motion and sound of the water lapping had made him sleepy. Suppressing a yawn, he, too, wondered where the mermaid had gone.
‘What do you suppose she has for me?’
‘I’m not sure, but it must be the One.’
‘The One?’
‘Yes, don’t you remember what the Court Jester told you on the Portico of Judgment?’
‘No. I wasn’t really listening,’ Cora admitted reluctantly. ‘Something about my quest. Can you remind me again why I am on this quest?’
‘You and the Moon Prince must solve a riddle,’ Owl answered. ‘But first, you must follow the Three to find the One to give to the One. That is what the Jester said.’
Tapping her fingers on the boulder where they sat, Cora sighed heavily. ‘But that doesn’t even make any sense to me.’
‘Think about it, Princess. You have followed the three, Raven, Frog and Dragonfly, to find the one. You found Mermaid but she can’t be the One as you can’t give a living being. So, logically, she must bring you the One.’
Cora nodded her head in understanding and agreement. ‘Yes, I suppose that makes sense.’ She looked out to sea and moaned, ‘Why is it taking her so long? My butt hurts from sitting on this rock.’
Ravenna whined the last two lines as she reached down and pretended to massage her backside. This action elicited giggles from the children and a chortle from Herman. She smiled, took a sip of tea, and then resumed her story.
“Owl was about to reply when they heard a splash and the mermaid surfaced. A powerful thrust from her tail with its shiny scales brought her to the rock’s edge. Bobbing in the water, she talked to them. ‘I have consulted with Neptune. He knows everything and told me more about your quest. He spoke of the One and has given me a magnificent gift from his treasures of the sea. The One you seek is the Moon King. Not long ago, Moon King became sad and gave up as he didn’t like to fight. He is hiding in the Dark Cave on the Island of Wyrd. Neptune said that you are to lure him out and restore him to his kingdom. For without the King, there is no Kingdom. We cannot lose this realm. Without the moon, there will be no tides and, without the tides, the ocean currents and sea creatures will surely perish.’
‘But how am I to lure him out?’
‘Tell him that Neptune has a present for him to give to his Queen. The King loves the Queen. She is precious to him, and he gives her gifts to show his love. Tell him that to earn the gift of Neptune, he must solve this riddle:
Lovely and round
In the dark, I am found
Dewdrop of night
A lady’s delight
Fashioned from moon rays
A great treasure always
Rare Jewel of the Sea
Governed by Neptune and three
Your Queen’s neck to adorn
From a shell I am born.’”
Ravenna paused and took a sip of her tea. “So, what do you think the mermaid has for the king?” she asked the children. As they were quiet, she gave them a prompt. “What jewel found in the sea is made in a shell?”
Myrtle’s hand shot up and waved. “Ooh! I know!” She triumphantly stated, “A pearl!”
“That’s right,” Ravenna replied.
“My grandma had a pearl necklace. Grandpa keeps it in his drawer. He says when I am older that he will give it to me. Right, Grandpa?” Myrtle looked at him to confirm.
“That’s right,” Herman concurred.
Zerlinda pouted and then said, “Baba, can we get on with the story?”
“Yea,” Mason added with a similar look.
“Mermaid held up a large, scalloped shell. ‘Will you help us, Sun Princess? So, we will not cease?’
‘Of course,’ Cora agreed. Taking it from Mermaid, she opened it. The interior of the shell was shiny, smooth, and black with flecks of gold. Inside of it lay a giant pearl. Never had Cora seen anything so glossy and perfectly smooth, a creamy white sphere of beauty. She drew in her breath when she looked at it. ‘It is so spectacular,’ she said and looked at Mermaid. ‘How am I to find the island and the King?’
‘I can weave a charm to give you a tail like mine and we can swim together,’ the maiden suggested.
Cora thought about this and decided against it. She didn’t know if she would like a tail instead of two legs. What if they stayed like that? Not wanting to hurt her new friend’s feelings, she remained silent.
Thankfully, Owl came to her rescue. ‘That won’t be necessary. We have a spell book to summon a boat and a breeze,’ he told the sea creature.
A little miffed by sensing Cora’s hesitation, the mermaid offered other help. ‘Fine. My friends, the dolphins, will show you the way.’ She swam away from the rock and then waved goodbye. ‘Thank you for the coral jewelry. Don’t forget your lantern. You’ll need it.’ Flicking her tail, she sang out, ‘Good luck my friends!’ before diving under the water. Her sparkly fin shone brightly before disappearing beneath the waves.
Owl hooted, whistled and waved his wings. Grimsby’s book appeared, and Cora spoke the magical words. Soon, led by dolphins, they were flying in their boat out to sea.
Appreciating her journey and the quest, Cora was excited but also apprehensive. What fresh adventures lay before her?”
Ravenna stopped speaking and drank the rest of her tea. Then she addressed Herman. “I know Janelle is still out of town. My son-in-law and daughter are going away for the weekend. I thought, perhaps, if you wanted to bring the kids over, we could have dinner together tomorrow night.”
His chest puffed a little, and Herman grinned widely. “That sounds great. What do you think, kids?”
They both nodded yes. “Can I sleep over too?” Myrtle didn’t address either adult, but looked back and forth at them, hoping for one to approve.
Ravenna spoke first. “It’s okay with me if it is okay with your grandpa.”
“I don’t see why not,” Herman answered. Then he addressed Ravenna. “I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. Maybe the kids could come over a little earlier and I’ll come after?”
“Sounds like a plan. Looking forward to it.”
Next: The Myth of Madame Mariposa No. 2: Part 5- A Seeker of Light
