Serentiy’s Sorrow

Beneath the eldest sun-sprent shades
of the far-off Emerald Forest deep,
amid those hallow’d, ancient glades,
a band of Woodnymphs keep.
When eternal youth and beauty fail
to bind a heart immortal rent,
thus begins the hapless tale:
A Dryad’s dark descent.

Copyright © 2002-2017 by Dustin Jon Scott
[Last Update: December^rd, 2017]

§αI¶I. Daranakri, vyasaŋimbulaono maninoda-rutalititsu raodilineu-raudivilipinouta Źadivilapumbinoda vailalini-ridalini-Fainipanopatu vyasiŋeraone-Valadomiwoda vyasiŋalini-Faininoda ainilini-jinapipada, aoneraonekwisiniokkimpi Vili-Nimbinauda, dikanomerini, neraonenamiwaa-nomilio kwikinauda Taorayo, Faenayo, Mitsayo, Raodayo, Simikayo, Aameyo, Valiyo, Muolayo, Taŋiyo, Mualeyo, Kihiyo, Tsokiuhayo, Samiyonta. Samolini-diyaniovuya ridikeraone-sukilini-manilau viliniuderanoodamipu, aiteraonekilau radiŋanoda-raedaliniradivilinoupi, viþeraonekilau raudivikwiþiniopa viulilinivialinoumi. Ŋiotsikorila kinauma boraoneumidalo kilauda-nikilinibuhuminau, lyalda ŋiotsikorilini-kinuraonekilau ŋisamugino. Tatsi, niutilinidiyanili, eonaraoneSamigalo ŋisaominoovi.

Translation: Back in the day, hidden deeply away beyond the bowers of Man amid the lustrous untamed wylds of the great Emerald Forest outlying the crosshatched foreign Fairlands of Elphame that veiled the unseen realm of Fairy from this ephemeral middle-earth, throve in those ethereal mysts a band of Sylvan Nymphs, numbering but ten , whose names were Destiny, Faith, Charity, Glory, Harmony, Trust, Divinity, Grace, Eternity, Solace, Felicity, Ecstasy, and Serenity. All throughout their lenitive days gamboled and romped these libidinous maids through the greenest of holts, napped they by cover of shade-dappled glades, and made they love by hot kells in lush glens. Never was among them the faintest thought of worry or concern to burthen their frolicsome hearts, and never had they known true sorrow. Until, very late one morrow, poor Serenity was grown forlorn.

§αI¶II. Viliŋeanoba þiviliata pamelaono-Samilo, simireno-kila ekiniampu kinada ŋaedaakilompo þidrilionda kudrilionta, kwidrilionda kwiþidrilionta.

Translation: There in the clearing amid the tall ferns sat Serenity, crying into her knees under pied shade of ancient yew and oak, alder and ash.

§αI¶III. Roedalaona ŋusaminovra-dikerinada, Vili-Nimbinauda gerane Saminotu kwirini ŋusamilauno-kwano.

Translation: Troubled deeply by their sister’s sorrow, the Wood Nymphs went to Serenity seeking why she was so sad.

§αI¶IV. “Ŋimibaruone-mila mibakinu,” nareraune-Samilo, “kinaniiŋo minamada.”

Translation: “Never shall have I a mate,” said Serenity, “nor children of mine own.”

§αI¶V. Samilo miakeraune masinodaa-Taorayoda, kwelini-vyulova yinilini-migerini dikerinada-vyokyuniada, kwerini ialini-iakwani Taorayokilada kwolini-naorurenwe ŋisamiyokilada naranaumpi Drayane-dikrakila redatukye. “Tila redatukwe,” takilini-nareraune-kila, tahili-kilada seŋireni parilini-hiŋeraune-kilisa likwilini-mihanaadra-kila.

Translation: Serenity then pulled herself aback from her Destiny’s brace slightly, with an uncertain, thoughtful gaze delving longly into her sister’s eyen, questing desperately some subtle hint from her Destiny as to how she might explain her sorrow in words her Drayad kin could somehow comprehend. “Thou couldst never understand,” she sayed finally, her head rocking in dismissal as it hung ashamed from her languid shoulders.

§αI¶VI. Faenalo, Tiwi-Drayalandu Valanilanta koridenida, kihigeraune wialini-gipanihima antu leŋini-dikranati paeraunae-kila. Dikrana kinada Taorayoda-likilini-samuraune-kila, antu makini-kinada kismeraune-kila astwi tiþilini-kiopinismaa samulini-remini-kilada, antaa ŋiuknalini-mireraune, ŋiknerindi-kila kavilini-riperene makinitu Saminoda samuni.

Translation: (Then) Faith, Beta Dryad and Shamaness of their band, clomb as well upon the rock and there abreast her sisters’ left she then promptly sat. Like Destiny before she warmly held her sister, and with her arm wreathed round Serenity’s waspish waist she kissed her cheek, and smiled unsurely, not quite knowing how to return unto Serenity’s face her smile.

§αI¶VII. “Ridikwauste-Samila-kinada ŋireadilini?” kweraune Faenalo, twiþeraundo vikilinindu-kisilininta-vwoseniu radilini-vikampida-Saminoda. “Vyasaŋekwaaste-Tila apino, [...]

Translation: “Why must our Serenity so coldly draw away?” queried Faith, fondling the long and silken gold waves of Serenity’s shimmering mane. “Wherefore hast thou hid away from us here, knowing how we love and need thee?”

¶VIII. Huraune-Samilo. “Rideraene-Mila mbaipinatu,“ nareraune-kila, kiumirini makiniampu-Faenanoda astwi samuraune-Taoralo kianaa, “astwindu kigaraena-Mila vilapinompi norota vyiseraene-Mila Avalina [...]

Translation: Serenity sighed. “Today I went to the city,” she sayed, curling deep into her Faith’s arms as Destiny then held them both, “and as I lurked there in the wood outside town I saw an Elfwife that had with her two children. I know not why, but in that moment my heart awoke as if suddenly and from a long and stilly sleep, and in sobriety’s cold and heartless clasp I grew woe as it happed to me that I should never have for myself a mate, nor ever a child of mine own.”

¶IX. At these words Serenity’s sisters were silently then started, harrowed inly by the stirring within her of those desires so longly agone forsaken. And Destiny and Faith continued to cradle their sister as the other Drayad kin looked to Solace for her ken.

¶X. “But Serenity,” sayed Solace, “our Destiny is our mate. She is our Alpha Drayad. Only she of all among us should be fertile. We have only to lie with her, and service her, and she would seed her own womb and bare for us a caul. And after fifteen years the caul should hatch, and from it emerge a beautiful Nymphet who is the bairn of the One Love we all have for one another -- a sister whom with to rejoice for all eterne in the splendor of Our Way. That’th been the Way of Nymphs sith a time now far before even the forest’s recall.”

¶XI. “I know all of this,” sayed Serenity, sitting herself up sharply from her sisters’ embrace, her countenance palled sicker eft being suffered so thoughtless a word of concern, “for I am neither a dullard nor mad.”

¶XII. A sullen grimace then crossed Solace’s face, and she assayed to assure Serenity: “I didn’t mean....”

¶XIII. “Thou must take me to be,” charged Serenity, “else thou wouldst not think it due to remind me of such things of which thou knowest I am well aware.”

¶XIV. “If thou truly hast these things foremind,” sayed Divinity, “wherefore art thou so discontent? If thou wast to become Alpha Drayad of thine own band, thou couldst then bear thine own offspring, just as thou list.”

¶XV. “ ’Twould not be the same,” replied Serenity. “At fifteen years, an emerged Nymphet is nigh adult. How am I to ever truly be a mother if I’m never to have a child of mine own? Nay, meseemeth I shall forever be made endure this hollowness I feel within me, crawling wretched and purposeless amidst these groves till the Fates decide upon an end for me that be fitting.”

¶XVI. “How durst thou say such things anent the way of Nymphs?” asked Destiny, releasing her Faith and Serenity as she pulled herself aback from them. “Doth the way of thy kindred disgust thee so greatly?”

¶XVII. “I say naught of the way of Nymphs,” sayed Serenity, staring back at her Destiny sharply. “I speak only of the way of myself. And I am not whole.”

¶XVIII. “Forgive us, my Serenity,” pled Harmony, “but we know naught of what thou speakest. We only wish to understand.”

¶XIX. “I don’t know if ye can,” replied Serenity.

¶XX. “An that be the case,” sayed Harmony, “is there aught we might do for thee? Aught to quell for thee thy sadness? Understanding or not, we are all still thy sisters. We all should fain oblige.”

¶XXI. “I know of naught ye could do for me,” sayed Serenity, still barely weeping. “These yearnings: I’m not even sure I understand them myself.”

¶XXII. Then Faith, overcome by pity for her sister, sayed unto her: “Fret not, for at the full Moon shall I spell for thee a rite, that will bring requiem unto the sorrow of thine heart, and will quell for thee thy woe.”

¶XXIII. And to this Serenity nodded, saying naught as she there fell contently into the warmth of her sisters’ clasp. And there with them she lay until the morrow’s end.