by frithus forest

Created on: July 03, 2007

ANEMONE

Once upon a time in a lost sea cove, there dwelled a lonely fisherman's daughter. Her wild hair was bright, like the sun glinting on the smooth face of the waters and her skin was light, like the white foam floating on the mirrored surface of the waves. Captivating were her eyes shining deep, like wild sea flowers submerged in clear and moonlit caves.

Tragically at birth, her mother had left them for far away shores. And so their daughter became her father's beloved memory of his wife's favorite flower of land and of sea, and whom he lovingly named Anemone.

To provide for her after his fast approaching last voyage upon this life's sea, her father gave Anemone a magic net and silver line woven by sea nymphs and water sprites. Both gifts were intended to capture Anemone's elusive prey and hold them spellbound until perhaps she needed them for food someday.

So upon the stormy shores her father coaxed her to cast out her magic net upon the green surging waters, so that when he was gone she need never be hungry again. And no sooner had she done so, than it filled with more fish than anyone could have been seeking. But to her father's dismay, with tears and anger she released them all to flee from feared death back into the oceans still free.

Anemone had secretly sliced through the special silver webbing late one night, desiring to net not even one that might prefer to swim away. All free though every day she died a little from loneliness and unappeased hunger by the bountiful life-filled sea.

And as she grew older her hunger grew, since her beloved father had also left her for those eternal seas beyond these, making Anemone sorely grieved what now to do. Until the aching in her heart could no longer be appeased, and an opportunity came for her to cast her hooked silver line this time upon still waters. And no sooner had she dared, then again she had already caught what she had only half-heartedly hoped to ensnare.

But rather than let that hook do its slowly agonizing and gory chore, she dashed the bleeding fish - in the burning air drowning - mercifully against a rock upon that solitary and jagged shore. Then running back crying, she bolted behind her the little cottage door.

Starving now, she prayed to her father's god. And in pity, mighty Poseidon sent her father's spirit to comfort the girl as she lay alone from hunger dying. So that in a dream, Anemone saw her dead father offer her that same hapless fish upon a crystal platter.

"It's alright, my daughter,"

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