Linda Connell Studley: Music
Mermaid
Mermaid was inspired by a Welsh story of the Mermaid of Zennor. This ballad chronicles the exploits of a tenacious mermaid, a daughter of Llyr, who goes upon land in search of love.
The mermaid sat late in the harbour one evening
To comb all the shells from her hair golden bright.
A sweet song came floating across the dark water
And held her heart spellbound far into the night
Next evening the mermaid swam close to the shoreline
“What bird sings so sweet? to the darkness she cried
I wish he’d fly closer and sing for me only
The waves washed her tears as the sweet singing died
The third night the mermaid came sooner and bolder
She floated right up by the fisherman’s dock
“What reed can there grow that pipes such sweet music?”
Alas for my tail, how I wish I could walk.
The mermaid cried salt tears much larger than sea pearls
Llyr sighed like the rumbling of waves on the shore
But he gave to his daughter a dress all of sea jewels
To cover her scales as she went to explore
At evensong Matthew sang sweet hymns of closing
She leaned on the sill at the door of the church
She sighed and he lifted his eyes up to meet hers
She knew she had come to the end of her search
She thought of her scales hid beneath the fair clothing
In horror she turned and she made for the sea
But Matthew was swifter and caught her and held her
Cry’ng “Oh please don’t leave me whoe’er you may be”
“But I am a mermaid I can’t live on dry land.
Oh, loose me my love for I can’t stay with thee.”
He gathered her to him and rushed to the ocean
While villagers followed them down to the sea
She tore off her sea jewels and tossed them behind her
They scattered the path leading down to the shore
They sparkled and glittered and people fell on them
To gather them up and to follow no more
Never again were they seen upon dry land
Some say Matthew sings to her down in the sea
There are voices to hear for ears that will listen
And sea jewels still glitter for eyes that can see