The Ballad of the Calormene and the Dryad

In the magical land of Narnia,

Deep within the forgotten wood;

You’ll find an entrance to a tunnel,

Where an Ivory Tower once had stood.

In the tunnel, neatly stacked,

Are legends and tales from days of old;

Come, find a cozy spot among the ruins,

Tonight one ballad will be told:

In the golden age of Narnia,

During the reign of Peter, the High King;

When the fauns danced with the dryads,

And all the animals were free.

Prince Rabadash of Calormen

Had decided to start a new way of life,

And he came to Narnia for the purpose

Of wining Queen Susan to be his wife.

One of the prince’s royal guards

Was a brave and noble man.

He had journeyed across the sea

To this strange and foreign land.

He was tall and of fair face,

With dark skin and hair and eyes.

He was loyal to his prince

Prepared to live for him, and die.

As time passed the Calormene grew weary

Of the life at the royal courts

So he left the palace grounds

And took a walk, for he was out of sorts

As he walked along the wood

Among the trees a voice he heard

Singing a song he never knew

Harmonizing with the birds

The voice could not be human

It was far too gentle and sweet

It seemed to come with the wind

And resembled the rustling of leaves

The Calormene quietly followed the voice

And came to a clearing in the wood

And saw, with her back to him

A graceful, feminine figure stood

Her figure was quite unlike

Anything he had ever seen

She had form, but seemed half transparent

And her skin, a gentle forest green

Her long, long hair half transparent too

Looking as though it was made of leaves

Her robes where loose and gently flowing

And when he saw her, he was reminded of a tree

The Calormene took a step to her

And broke a twig upon the ground

She gave a start and jumped a little

Then fearfully she turned around

And as her eyes looked into his

He thought them too green to be true

The two of them stared a while

Then he whispered “Who are you?”

She looked at him, then lowered her eyes

He soothingly said “you need not fear me”

She paused a little then replied

“I am the dryad of a tree”

He gazed at her a little longer,

And at last she lifted her eyes,

"Who are you?" she gently asked.

"A stranger here," He replied.

Her large, shy eyes where suddenly filled

With curiosity and awe.

"If you will, have a seat"

"And tell me from where you are."

"My home is far away,"

"In a large and vast land,"

"It is great ad powerful,"

"Surrounded by an ocean of sand."

He would have liked to tell her more,

About the land of which he was proud;

But the day was quickly fading,

And the sun was sinking down.

He slowly rose and prepared to leave,

"Tis late, I must be getting back!"

"Will you come again tomrrow?"

She caught his hand and asked.

Her touch was gentle and smooth,

Her voice so meek and mild.

He looked into her green eyes again.

"Of course I will," he smiled.

He turned to go, then looked back,

To the log on which she perched.

"Tell me of what tree are you?"

She giggled and whispered "The birch."

He went back to the palace,

But to everthing he was blind.

He didn't notice anyone.

The dryad alone was on his mind!

And so as the time pased,

And the days followed each other.

The dryad and the Calormene met,

And daily converesd with one another.

Yet the day was soon approaching

When the prince home would sail.

And Queen Susan promised to visit him

...But that is another tale!

The Calormene wished to return home!

To him, Narnia only barbarians was made of,

But one thing held him back;

For he found he was in love

He did not wish to remain here,

But he found he could not depart!

And so he devised and plan,

So with the dryad he would not part!

On the eve of his departure,

He met the dryad in the woods;

He gently took her graceful hand,

And upon one knee he stood.

"You know I am soon departing,"

"And I think I never will return;"

"BUt I cannot leave just yet,"

"For a fire within me burns!"

"I ask and pray of you,"

"Come with me to my home."

"There among my people,"

"I will care for you as my own."

"What is your answer?" he said at lenth,

For she had made no reply.

She looked at him a while longer,

And from her lips escaped a sigh.

"I cannot go with you" She said,

"I could never leave my wood."

"Of course you can," he argued.

She shook her head, "I never could!"

"But perhaps, if you only will,"

"There is a different way."

"I will not go with you,"

"But perhaps you could stay."

"What stay here!" he said in shock,

"Never ask such a thing of me!"

"I will never abandon my prince!"

"To him I swore my loyalty"

"And I will not go with you,"

The dryad said and looked away.

"For I believe in Aslan,"

"But it is to Tash your people pray."

The Calormene shook his head,

"So you believe in Aslan too?"

"In that hidious king of beasts,"

"Tell me, how on earth can you?"

"Oh do not speak of Aslan so,"

The dryad earnestly did plead.

"And why not" the Calormene laughed,

"I will say of Him what I please."

"I am a faithful son of Tash,"

"To the Tisroc is my loyalty."

"And I hate the lion Aslan,"

"With all the might inside of me."

The dryad sadly dropped her head,

As tears formed in her eyes,

"My dear Calormene, the time has come,"

"For you and I to say goodbye."

"Though I have become fond of you,"

"You hate Him, whom I love."

"And though on the outside you are fair,"

"I see now what you soul is made of."

The Calormene opened his mouth,

But the dryad shook her head.

"You are a faithful Calormene,"

"And I a loyal Narnian" she said.

She turned to leave, but extended her hand,

"Perhaps, perhaps you might still stay?"

But he indignatly shook his head,

"Either you with me, or we part ways!"

And so she sadly turned to go,

He watched her in the setting sun.

At the bend she paused a moment,

Gave one last look, and then was gone.