Back to the Silly Pages(This page written by Richard Peaty)
But I digress, I've jumped ahead in telling of this fellow,
And how he came to lose his gift and turn into a Merrow.
I may as well be blunt with you and tell you all I know,
Since there's no-way he can stop me 'cos he's chasing fish below.
The tale begins in earnest, roughly fifty years before
When several novice Magi, East Provencal coast did tour.
They found a base on Santare hill, inside a ruined fort
And set up a Spring covenant where the Magic arts were taught.
The Magi which had gathered, all five of them quite new,
Were Odette, Fionn and Callidus, Serina and guess who.
They got some grogs and ordered them to rebuild, stone by stone,
The run down fort they lived in, so they could call it home.
Then two more Magi joined them, Marcus and his friend
And all hoped that Mandator would reach a sticky end.
The first time that it happened, Mandator changing form,
Was when he changed into a Mole, and wished he'd ne'er been born.
I'd tell you more about this if only I had time,
But as you see it's difficult to think of every rhyme.
I really must apologise, the rhymes are getting worse
But for time lost, in reading this, I will not reimburse.
Now several years had passed with this Magus on the chair
(Although about the covenant you felt he did not care).
With Faerie court befriended, and Moonfield chums as well,
We really weren't elated when he put us all through hell.
You may have heard of Raelon, the fate of it was dire
The plague Mandator started has spread out like a fire.
His impudence and rudeness caused grief for him at Rais
When Orphedra beat him hollow (Oh what a joyous day!).
Because of this small error, this trifling faux pas
Odette was made the chairman of all of Malinbois.
His blunders did not stop though, indeed they gained new heart,
When he headbutted a demon, and his spirit then did part.
We all were sad on seeing Mandator's spirit gone
So we went out to see Hades, and got another one.
And now at last I bet you're glad, my story's almost through.
The next verse tells of why he turned into a Merrow true.
The reasons clear, Mandator's cursed by Faerie King no less!
And all because he crispy fried the Merrow King's Princess.
He found all liquid sustenance he drank turned into brine,
And so a colleague helped him be mutated for all time.
The moral of this story is to be a happy fellow
On knowing you're not guilty of toasting a Marsh Merrow.
(Oh, one last word from Marcus, before you up and walk.
If Mandator's at a funeral, make sure he doesn't talk!).
And remember, those with Faerie Magic can break Hermetic constraint
So there's no return for Mandator-Merrow, we're free of his bungling taint.