Copycat mermaid
As am finishing up another shortstory, its time to give the equine corpse a good asswhoopin´. Yup, we gonna talk originality here. Thing is, the story has a mermaid theme, is inspired on a song rendered by folk singer Stan Rogers, and also resembles "Magnetic rose", an author anime by Otomo.
Am i doing anything sci-fi here? Am taking a centuries old theme, the mermaid´s, on its regarding the dangers and mysteries of long and adventurous long travels... be it over seas or through the galaxy. Also, adressing the male-female counterpointing, of men as violent and women as enchanting; men as violators and women as deluders; men with fists and women with fingertips; men as restrainers and women as scapees; in short, beauty and the beast. Or the nurse and the soldier, if you will.
The plot is copycat to boot. Follows almost point by point the balad -"Maid on the shore"-, though i added a misery theme on the captain´s side. Made him poorer in material and spiritual values; more human, less epic/tragic. Tragicomic could be the word. That made me shange a few events and twists, and i stressed the voice as empowerment to the maid, instead of shear feminity. I also added a sidekick to the "young captain", sort of a emotion reflector, someone he could talk to in equal terms. Still struggling with the motivations of the captain and sidekick... but who said this an easy bussiness. I just came up with a way, as i type this. It involves a rant.
As you´ll see, originality is not a value here, nor "sci-finess". The usual self castigation is reeling in. Plus, its kinda a sequel, a spinnoff from another short story -something i vowed to avoid-. I don´t really feel so good... but the story is coming out.
Sometimes i wonder that also, if i should finish the stories no matter what.
the song lyrics, i can produce. As you´ll see, is quite inspiring, as most folksongs.
"Maid on the shore"
There is a young maiden who lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There’s nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore
T’was of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
I will die I will die the young captain did cry
If I don’t have that maid on the shore shore shore
If I don’t have that maid on the shore
Well I have lots of silver I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I’ll divide I’ll divide with my jolly ship’s crew
If they row me that maid on the shore shore shore
If they row me that maid on the shore
After much persuasion they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care care care
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
She’s so pretty and neat she’s so sweet and complete
She sung captain and sailors to sleep sleep sleep
She sung captain and sailors to sleep
Then she robbed him of silver she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled away to the shore shore shore
And paddled away to the shore
Well me men must be crazy me men must be mad
Me men must deep in despair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore shore shore
And paddle your way to the shore
Well your men was not crazy your men was not mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I’m a maiden again on the shore shore shore
I’m a maiden again on the shore