warnings concerining flashing eyes and floating hair.
Alice-my-petal,
Do be wary! I have heard tales about that waterfall from Hatta, when he comes to call. Of course, one can never make hide nor hare of his tails, (although one can make a rather stunning set of tails-with-tophat from his hide, which ensemble Christian and I will be showing at the reception Darling, if I ever manage to catch that damnable Walrus and pin him to the floor!) anyway, I got the sense of it summarily from the Dormouse. Well, sense interspersed with narcoleptic yawning and a flash of the tango, mais alors.
The jist of it were that Once Upon A Time, a terribly sought-after princess set a challenge for her suitors that she believed only her love could achieve. She threw her little gold ring into the waterfall where he and she would often stroll and court and park, (naughty children that they were), merely announcing to the court that she had hidden it in some stream or fall or brook. Naturally, her dearest love knew which location it must be, and set out at once to retrieve the bauble.
Unbeknownst to lord or lady, a nereid living at the bottom of the pool had lately found the ring and kept it thinking it pretty. So it was when the lover lept into the brook, the nereid found him too, and likewise thinking him pretty, decided to keep him. Unfortunately, rings keep better than lads below water, and the poor boy perished swiftly under her kisses.
I understand that the Nereid felt great remorse of this, but more curiosity about whomsoever'd been throwing such marvellous things into her waterfall.
This mystery were soon solved as the Princess, bewildered that her love had not returned, came soon wandering desolate by the side of the waterfall, calling for her drowned gentelman. The Nereid came up to see who was making such a racket upon her shores, and the Maiden were understandably shocked to see this fabulous, sapphire-eyed, kelp-tressed creature wearing her ring. You see, by the laws of the kingdom, the Nereid were now compelled to marry the princess, and so she did. I understand that eventually, she and the lady became king and queen (that being the way of these things). I am also told that the Nereid ruled wisely and well, as it were, and had a marvellous water garden installed at the palace. I should be delighted my dear, to take you on a tour of this marvel some summer sunday.
So to pass that tidbit on to you, my dear, as a word of warning and a historical fact. I shall be burnishing my scales and combing my whiskers in anticipation of your arrival and your tobacco, my darling. Take care not to slip too deep into the swim.
I shall be waiting, tremorously.
Give my regards to the Cat, if he blinks in at you again.
evermore,
Jabs.
