Act I
When Paolesco heard his wife was sick,
He expected to find her in bed,
But by the time he arrived at their country house,
She was already tragically dead;
His heart was completely broken,
For she was a compassionate and loving wife,
So then he journeyed to a distant land,
Because something was missing in his life.
Paolesco’s wife had spoken of a wise old man
Who lived in the Magic Mountains,
He lived for years in a craggy cave
Above the enchanted Lake of the Fountains;
It is said this sage knew of a hidden city
That was paved with precious pearls,
And rumors say that he knew of an isle
Filled with beautiful fairy-like girls.
Hence he decided to set out alone,
To try and find this most mysterious man,
So the sun soaked Paolesco for several weeks,
Until his skin became very tan;
When he saw the Magic Mountains,
They were like stalagmites touching the sky,
The stunning spires were of gold and silver,
And they towered so very high.
The Lake of the Fountains was nearly circular,
And its sky-blue waters inspired peace,
Around the lake were lovely fountains,
Whose watery spires would not cease;
Each of the twelve fountains gushed water,
As much as three hundred feet high,
They were like eruptive geysers of crystal,
Glimmering as they touched the sky.
When he had finally reached the lake,
It was very scenic to behold,
As the sun rose over the mountains,
The frolicking fountains glistened with gold;
He rested that day near this delightful lake,
For he was really beginning to tire,
But at night he looked up towards the summit,
And he was sure that he saw a fire.
The next day he got up very early,
And climbed the steep and rugged trail,
He was determined that his daring journey
Would not ever be doomed to fail;
After three long days, he found the cave,
In a clearing through the trees,
And he found himself wonderfully cooled
By a mystical and refreshing breeze.
The giant sun slowly sank down,
And it glowed a fiery red,
Then the darkness of night fell abruptly,
Like a heavy curtain made out of lead;
Paolesco peered around the corner of the cave,
And saw a man with a very big frown,
The old man had a hood on his head,
And his coarse cloak was all in brown.
This man had a long, ruffled gray beard
That was visible in the torch’s light,
Being relatively short of stature,
He was certainly not known for his height;
The old gentleman, named Petrio,
Was perusing an ancient scroll intently,
Then, completely lost in his thoughts,
He put it down quite gently.
Act II
Paolesco’s First Letter
Greetings, Florian --
As you well know,
I departed in haste
following Rosinella's
tragic and unexpected death,
so now I would like to
update you on all
that has happened
since I left.
After a long journey,
just after sunset,
I found the old prophet,
Petrio,
in a cave,
in the Magic Mountains.
With a gruff yet gentle voice,
the old man abruptly said,
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
I hardly knew what to say
because I was so taken aback;
there is no way that
he could have known I was coming.
So I engaged him in conversation,
and I very much welcomed
having someone to talk to
after so many weeks alone.
We spent all night
and most of the next day
talking together,
and I learned that
he was very close to Rosinella
when she was a child.
I felt so comforted
by his words
that I was almost ready
to return home
to resume my life
without Rosinella
when he suddenly said,
“It is your destiny
to follow her.”
Then he calmly added,
“You will see her again, alive,
if you listen to my words.”
When I first met Petrio
I honestly thought he was just a
crazy old man,
but the longer I was with him,
the more his words got
inside of me,
and I knew that he spoke
the truth.
A fire was burning in my heart,
as it still is now,
as I write to you
from an inn,
here in a little coastal
port town called
Mai Tornar.
So getting back to my story,
Petrio picked up
a little candle
that was within arm’s length,
and he gave it to me.
He also gave me
a scroll
that was rolled up,
and it looked like
it was made out of vellum.
Lastly, he gave me a
stunning, sparkling diamond
that was the size of my fist.
He said I needed to
follow his instructions
precisely.
Then he gave me a stern
yet kind warning, saying,
“When you cross
to the eastern side
of the Magic Mountains,
you will be severely tested.”
He told me to go to
Mai Tornar
and take passage on
the first ship I came upon.
Petrio said the tempests
on the Sea of Shadows
are notoriously perilous,
but I should light this candle
only if and when I encounter
the embodiment of evil.
As for the scroll
and the diamond,
he said I would learn
in good time how
to use them both.
Then he added,
“The Dark One
isn’t interested in
the diamond,
but he will try to steal
the candle and the scroll.
Resist him!”
Then he paused,
and looked with intensity
into my eyes and continued,
slowly but with great emphasis,
“You will meet a lady,
the Lady of Stellamare.
This scroll belongs to the King,
so make sure that she gets it,
because she will be
his messenger."
I have never before met
someone so resolute,
and pleasantly stubborn,
in fact, almost bordering on
friendly defiance.
But it was clear to me
that this old sage was indeed wise,
and there was something
utterly trustworthy
in his eyes.
I was both physically
and emotionally
exhausted,
and I slept for what
felt like days.
But I awoke refreshed,
and invigorated.
Petrio then gave me
his last words of warning
before I left.
With eyes alert like
a great warrior’s,
he told me to avoid
Inferno Island.
He said,
“If in spite of all
your efforts,
you find yourself
on this enchanted isle,
do not touch its fruit!
If you even so much as taste it,
you will certainly die.”
Petrio concluded by saying
that as soon as I would get
on the other side
of these mountains,
I would be crossing the frontier
into the territory of
the Dark One.
His last words to me were,
“Never underestimate his powers!”
Act III
The next day Paolesco got up very early,
And heartily shook the prophet’s hand,
Then he set out towards the frontier,
Ready for new adventures in that land;
The trail led him near the summit of the mountain
Between the two highest peaks,
He noticed the weather quickly changed,
And wind like icy daggers pierced his cheeks.
Billowy black storm clouds filled the eastern sky
And swirled in a threatening cyclonic motion,
As if they had been quickly conjured up,
By a wicked and malicious potion;
Daytime in this cursed and dreary land
Was as dark as very early dawn,
There was strangled sunlight all around,
And every vestige of hope seemed gone.
Underneath the dull, dismal sky,
The Sea of Shadows was a gloomy green,
And under the squinty eye of the storm,
Inferno Island could be seen;
A ring of fire blazed extremely bright,
And it surrounded the mysterious isle,
A volcanic mountain was in its center,
And its diameter was about a mile.
Its crater was filled with molten lava,
And was a red eye glaring over the sea,
The Dark One’s presence was strong there,
And no prisoner could ever be free;
Paolesco saw all these various things
From the Magic Mountains way up high,
Petrio’s words were quite prophetic,
He spoke the truth and not a lie.
Paolesco looked at the base of the mountain,
And saw a very small town,
The wild waves attacked with open jaws,
As if they were trying to gulp it down;
It was located on a bleak little peninsula,
Over the south end of the bay,
No light shined on treacherous Mai Tornar
On this very stormy winter day.
The wind was very strong and gusty,
As Paolesco descended to Mai Tornar,
The weatherbeaten buildings were weary,
And they were all the color of tar;
This dirty town had quite a vile stench,
Of burnt meat and the cheapest ale,
And then he saw dingy drunkards brawling,
Behind the bars of the jail.
When he walked along the bluff near town,
He looked for a ship to take him away,
But poor Paolesco saw no sign of a vessel,
And nothing at all stirred in the bay;
As he walked on the uneven cobblestones,
He found an inn along the road,
But as he came through the front door,
A man grimaced like a menacing toad.
This short, stout man was named Malvanero,
And he glowered with hellish hate,
When Paolesco had been a captain at sea,
Malvanero was assigned his first mate;
It turned out Malvanero was a petty thief,
And between them a dispute had arisen,
But in the end Paolesco got what he wanted,
And Malvanero got thrown into prison.
So Malvanero quickly hid in another room,
And spied on him through the shutters,
He saw Paolesco speak to a timid sailor
Who continually stammers and stutters;
The little chap told him that sailing is hard
Because of the inclement weather,
The last ship got tossed around by the waves,
As if it were just the smallest feather.
The fine ship was called the Intrepid,
And its wreckage was on the shore,
He said that the damages were heavy,
And repairing it would be a chore;
So Paolesco quietly sat down at a table,
And he pensively ate some grub,
He was beginning to wonder if Petrio
Might have committed a bit of a flub.
Many weeks passed and no sign of a ship,
As persistent Paolesco patiently waited,
Meanwhile Malvanero continued to plot,
For revenge on the man he so hated;
The town’s citizens were terribly lazy,
And few of them had steady work,
They were thieves with sneaky eyes,
Who in foggy lanes did loiter and lurk.
But one morning Paolesco eagerly awoke,
For an insight flashed into his mind,
The Intrepid was the first ship he saw,
So that was the one he had to find!
He formed a plan to repair the ship,
But he knew he couldn’t do it alone,
So Paolesco created a financial incentive,
And he sold his precious stone.
To the many people who wanted work,
He gave them a respectable job,
Since Paolesco gave them dignity as workers,
They no longer needed to rob;
In wages he gave every single coin away,
As he strove to treat workers fair,
In gratitude the citizens made a choice,
And they decided to elect him mayor.
Although the project took three long years,
The Intrepid was as good as new,
As the captain of this resurrected ship,
He chose a brave and trusted crew;
The weather was sunny in this perilous land
Perhaps only ten days each year,
So quickly the crew packed their supplies,
When the sky suddenly became clear.
Captain Paolesco saw his opportunity,
So they cast off while the weather was good,
He wanted to travel a long way fast,
And the crew nodded and understood;
The captain decided to set a firm course,
Thus he chose the ship’s last destination,
Their voyage was to the Floating Icefields,
So each one manned his station.
But unbeknownst to Captain Paolesco,
Malvanero had sneaked aboard,
Nothing would make Malvanero happier
Than to see Paolesco bloodied and gored;
Now the first three days were uneventful,
Which made the crew quite glad,
But after they saw a solar eclipse,
The whole world seemed to go mad.
Suddenly there was an eerie wild wind,
And the waters frightfully churned,
Bulging black clouds blitzed the sky,
As the weather had radically turned;
The Sea of Shadows was darker than ever,
But then there was another worry,
The Floating Icefields were in the vicinity,
So the crew scrambled in a hurry.
Lightning struck like daggers in the darkness,
Wounding the innocent air,
Thunder furiously raged and roared,
As the storm gave the crew a scare;
Though no rain yet fell from the clouds,
The wicked waves reached toward the sky,
The Intrepid bobbed around in the cauldron,
And everyone thought he’d die.
Malvanero was waiting in the shadows,
Like a poisonous human weed,
He nervously stroked his stubbly beard,
As he planned the dirty deed;
Malvanero suddenly leaped onto the deck,
And grabbed his bloody blade,
He rashly raised his knife high in the air,
As the revenge card was about to be played.
Paolesco was very busy steering the ship,
When Malvanero stabbed with his dagger,
But lightning struck the mizzenmast,
And the explosion made them both stagger;
The sharp blade cut Paolesco’s left arm,
So his sleeve became rather bloody,
Then they violently brawled on the deck,
Until their faces turned quite ruddy.
Paolesco punched Malvanero in the mouth,
Bloodying his beard and lip,
Then Malvanero tripped, and fell over sideways,
And he toppled right off the ship;
The hungry flames caused by the lightning
Quickly ate the ship’s old wood,
The crew tried dousing the flashing flames,
Or they’d all be gone for good.
The crew forgot about the ship’s helm,
For they were busy fighting the fire,
Then the Intrepid rammed into a glacier,
And the situation became more dire;
The vessel had a huge gash in the bow,
And swallowed a great deal of water,
The dying Intrepid shivered and shuddered,
Right before it started to totter.
Like a corpse, the Intrepid keeled over,
Like a harpooned whale in the sea,
The crew fell out like lumps of sugar,
And were stirred into the murky green tea;
Paolesco latched onto the captain's skiff,
And he rowed with all his might,
His goal was to get away from the ship,
For he refused to give up the fight.
Act IV
Paolesco’s Second Letter
Faithful Florian,
let me tell you about
my latest adventures.
I captained a ship
called the Intrepid
from the port of
Mai Tornar,
but,
due to a sudden storm,
our vessel was
struck with lightning
and caught fire.
The flames
that engulfed our ship
reminded me
of that eventful night
when you saved
Rosinella’s life,
courageously
charging into the barn
as the wooden beams
holding up the roof
started to collapse.
But back to
my story.
Everyone was so focused
on the fire
that no one
was at the helm!
Just as the lightning flashed,
a man attacked me,
but with a dark storm
brewing around us,
I couldn’t
see him clearly.
At first I thought
I saw a ghost,
for he looked like
that old villain
Malvanero.
Later,
I learned that
it was no ghost,
but was truly
Malvanero himself.
I think he may have died
like everyone else aboard,
for I appear to be
the only survivor.
The ship hit a glacier
and the whole crew --
including myself --
fell into the sea,
but this was just
the beginning,
dear friend.
Then it began
to rain.
Luckily for me, when I turned
around, I saw my skiff floating
aimlessly in the water, so I swam
towards it with all my might.
I pulled myself in,
and I looked under the
old blanket that covered the
top and was happy to see that
my hidden chest was still there.
Then I looked quickly inside
to make sure my things
were all right,
and I saw that the
candle and scroll
were still there
and were still dry,
so I latched the chest shut
to protect them
from the rain.
In the distance
to the south
I could see
the flames of
intimidating
Inferno Island.
I was carried
on the waves
directly towards
that island,
and I shuddered
momentarily
with horror
as I remembered
Petrio’s words.
The closer
I got to the island,
the stronger was
the wind --
which almost seemed
to be purposely
steering me there.
The closer
I got to the island,
the stronger was
the rain that fell,
until I was about
a mile away
from the island,
and the terrifying tempest
twisted about me
as if in wicked glee,
with lightning
uncontrollably exploding
all over the sky
as if it were
going mad.
The thunder
became deafening,
and it sounded like
five hundred legions
of warships
were continuously
firing their
cannons at me.
It was as if some
unseen evil force
had caught me
like a wriggling fish
and were reeling me in
towards the isle.
The fiery red eye
of the volcano
seemed to stare
at me
as if it were
obsessed
with me
somehow.
So I approached the isle,
and I could vividly see
the black-sand beach
completely encircling it,
engulfed in
perpetual flames
that seemed to
welcome me with their
contorted and convulsive
dance of delight.
Only when the waves
crashed onto the shore
did the flames
briefly die out,
but other than that
the fire formed
a formidable fence
around the island,
as if it were a prison
of some sort.
I was on a collision course
with the coastline,
and I realized that
I was heading
right at those
furious flames.
A large new wave was forming
underneath me,
so at the last moment
I leapt off my
battered skiff
and dove under
the surface of
the water.
I thrashed about
under the wave,
before it burst apart
on the beach.
I found myself
facing downward,
on the wet and toasty
black sand.
I quickly looked around
and saw that the flames
had been momentarily
murdered by the wave,
but after only
a few seconds,
I saw the flames already
returning to life again.
So I snatched my
chest and
clumsily crawled
and scrambled
off the beach
like a crab,
then I turned around
and sat up against a palm tree.
Florian,
please pay attention
to what you
will now read,
for I’m certain
that it will utterly
amaze you,
much as it
amazed me.
When I saw that the
wave had subsided,
and the ring of fire
had fully fenced me in,
I realized that
I was now a prisoner
inside this
fiery fortress.
But, oh, what an island!
As I turned and
looked about me,
I almost thought
that I was in paradise --
so different it was
from its forbidding exterior!
First of all,
I felt like I was in a
protective bubble.
Out on the sea it was
cold and windy and stormy,
but on the island
it was tranquil.
I could still see the
rapid-fire lightning flashes,
but they were silent,
and there was no thunder --
a very peculiar sensation it was!
I looked up,
and I could see
that it was night.
The sinister squinty eye
of the storm was
directly overhead,
and it must have been
about the same size
as the island itself.
It was a dark sky,
but I could see stars.
I could also see the clouds
of the cyclonic tempest
whirling like a giant
wheel overhead.
Thus, it was raining over
the Sea of Shadows,
but not over the island.
The temperature
was warm,
delightfully warm.
As I looked away from
the coastline,
and towards the
island itself,
I saw before me
what seemed to be a
tropical paradise.
I could see lush green
trees and shrubs
that had a unique
beauty to them,
and they wafted
to and fro
in the light breeze.
Here and there I saw
peaceful volcanic rivers
branching out from
the eye of the
volcano.
The lava sleepily
crept down the mountain
and through the forest
like harmless serpents,
before they emptied out
into the sea.
They gave off just enough
light to create a
wonderfully romantic,
yet eerie,
glow.
It was the most
enchanting place
I had ever seen.
Yet,
at the same time,
it was also the most
bewitching.
Then,
to top it all off,
the aroma of
exotic spices
filled the air.
It was hard not to
imagine
just how delicious
the fruit on this isle
must taste.
And then I noticed
that there were many
tropical fruit trees,
with large leaves
that were dark green,
and interspersed among them,
in great abundance,
was a fabulous flurry
of fantastical fruits.
They were round in shape,
about the size
of an orange,
but they were every color
of the rainbow,
multicolored,
even on the same tree,
ripe,
and ready to eat.
I began to wonder
if all this fruit
was dangerous,
or if Petrio referred only
to a certain color of fruit.
As I was wandering
around in this paradise,
and musing upon these things,
I suddenly heard
a woman’s melodious voice
speak my name:
“Paolesco.”
I turned around abruptly
as if I had been
ambushed
and shot in the back.
When I saw this woman,
somehow I felt alarmed
by the sight of her.
She was strikingly
beautiful.
How can I describe
her to you,
Florian?
She was leaning,
in a teasing position,
against one of the
blooming fruit trees.
Her long, wild whirl
of thick black hair
sensually swirled down
over her shoulders
and culminated in
a comely cluster of
sweet serpentine ringlets
that dangled
to the middle of her back.
She wore an alluring gown
that was blood red,
and it draped over
and clung to her
voluptuous goddess-like body
like smooth
liquid lava.
With her head angled slightly,
she looked askance at me
with a lustful left eye
that was as
black as midnight.
Then she slowly and
seductively sauntered
towards me,
walking on the island sand
with her bare feet.
Now that she
faced me head-on,
I noticed that her
right eye was a
different color
than her left one --
it was a
sultry sea green.
Those eyes of hers were
mesmerizing.
As she neared me,
the right corner of her lip
curled upwards playfully
in a suggestive smile
of conquest --
she was like a warrior
going in for the kill,
knowing her opponent
was no match for her.
Then she fired
her secret weapon,
a stunning, bright,
captivating smile.
When she saw
that I was
dumbstruck,
she continued,
confidently,
in her melodic voice,
“My name is Thaliela,
and I am the queen of
the magic maidens.”
It was then that
I realized
that we were not
alone.
As I looked through the
green foliage,
I saw a myriad of
black and green eyes
peering at me
with curious delight.
Although I couldn’t
see them well,
I knew they were all
women,
because of the
musical sound of
their delightful giggling.
Thaliela drew unusually close to me,
and then whispered.
She said,
“I know you have
a scroll and a candle
with you,
and I’ve been waiting
for you to bring them to me.
“You see,
I am
the Lady of Stellamare.”
When she spoke that name,
I felt a sense of confusion
deep inside of me.
I felt a sense of excitement,
but also of danger,
on this strange isle.
Then she made a proposal:
“If you give me your
candle and scroll,
I will make all your
dreams come true --
even my lips are flavored
with spices!”
I could feel the warmth
of her breath
upon my face,
and I drank in its aroma,
which was that of
exotic spices.
Her eyes were
wide open and alive
as she said this,
and she stroked her
sleek, silky fingers
across my cheeks
and onto my lips.
I was,
quite honestly,
breathless
and perplexed.
Thaliela had a magnetic
power over men
that was hypnotic,
and almost
irresistible.
She added,
“While you retrieve
your little treasures
for me,
I will prepare
unspeakable delights
and pleasures
for you.”
Next, she reached up
and plucked a
ripe red fruit
off of a nearby tree,
and its juice dripped like
bright blood
on her fingers.
She offered it to me.
I hesitated,
ever so slightly,
then took it in my hands,
which were moistened
by its sweet-smelling,
sticky juice.
I do believe
my hands were
quivering slightly,
and I immediately remembered
Petrio’s words of warning.
Thaliela persuasively urged me,
“Go on, Paolesco...
taste it and enjoy.”
Then she drew even nearer
so that the tip of her
cool delicate nose
touched my
warm ear.
And she whispered,
even more softly,
“This luscious fruit
will help you relax,
and it will make our
time together
even more memorable.”
Then in a coy manner,
she stepped back slightly,
she slowly licked her lips,
she winked her black eye at me,
and briskly walked off
towards the interior of the island,
her hair bouncing in waves
as she strutted like a peacock
alongside the bank
of one of the branches of the
lazy lava river.
Springing out of their
hiding places,
the other magic maidens,
like frolicking fairies,
chased after her
in a sea of giggles.
Act V
Paolesco was troubled by Thaliela’s words,
And he was feeling very confused,
Was this charming queen trustworthy,
Or perhaps was he being used?
Petrio advised him to avoid the fruit,
Yet Thaliela said it would be delicious,
He was enticed by Inferno Island,
Though Petrio had said it was pernicious.
But what ultimately caught his attention,
Was what he felt deep down inside,
One person was characterized by selflessness,
The other by puffed-up pride;
Thaliela’s presence was very exciting,
But a nagging agitation wouldn’t cease,
Meanwhile, Petrio’s words of wisdom
Filled Paolesco’s heart with harmonic peace.
Then he remembered Petrio’s warning:
That he would face a very severe test,
He wondered about Thaliela’s intentions,
For she seemed to be very obsessed;
The candle and the scroll she wanted --
This much was crystal clear,
She was ready to pounce like a wildcat
If ever he would let her near.
Instead of doing what his passions craved,
He decided to do what he ought,
So he dropped the fruit, and chose sides for the
Battle that was finally ready to be fought;
He ran over and found Petrio’s candle,
Which had a signet seal on each side,
One was a cameo of the respected King,
The other was of a beautiful bride.
Thaliela was frozen with incredulity,
As she watched Paolesco light the candle,
She spied him through her looking glass,
And it was more than she could handle;
At first the candle’s flame barely flickered,
And it was really very, very small,
But ever so gradually it grew much larger,
Until it became exceedingly tall.
It slowly hardened into a sword’s blade,
Of a bold bright dazzling gold,
Paolesco fell to his knees in sheer wonder,
And was awed if the truth be told;
The golden sword gleamed with brilliance,
Almost like the noonday sun,
The Dark One was filled with fanatical
Fear, for he was about to be undone.
Then gradually a luminous orb appeared,
Over the glowing magical sword,
And rays of light from within its center
With dazzling brightness poured;
The fuzzy form of a woman appeared,
In the midst of this mystical vision,
Then there was a blinding burst of light,
As if two stars had had a collision.
Paolesco blinked his eyes, as the brightness
Very gradually began to subside,
And standing before him was a beautiful
Woman who was regal and dignified;
Her aquamarine eyes were fully alive,
And their goodness melted his heart,
Her smiling red lips were full of joy,
Piercing his being like a delightful dart.
Her long, light-brown hair, cascading over
Her shoulders, was like a lovely waterfall,
And she wore a very beautiful white gown,
As if she were attending an elegant ball;
This woman had a slender physique,
And was brimming with poise and grace,
But what struck him most was the feeling he had
When he looked at her compassionate face.
“Do you know who I am?" she asked,
Almost as if she were feeling sorry,
Paolesco replied, “Without a doubt, you are
The honorable Lady of Stellamare”;
To affirm that he had spoken the truth,
She nodded with a very sweet smile,
Never before had Paolesco met someone
So completely free from guile.
As Paolesco looked at this Lady’s face,
It most certainly made him start,
He noticed it was the same one carved
Into the candle with such art;
The Lady said, “Let’s try to move quickly,
For the Dark One is on the alert.”
She knew that danger was approaching,
And she didn’t want Paolesco to get hurt.
So she gripped the sword in her hands,
And took her stance in the ready position,
Her face showed no signs of fear,
For she was ready to complete her mission;
Then Thaliela appeared with her maidens,
Which assembled in a very large pack,
They totally encircled the two of them,
And awaited the signal to attack.
Thaliela had become very wild-eyed,
With her left eye swirling black and red,
It looked like a hypnotic hurricane,
And Paolesco was filled with dread;
This same black-and-red hurricane
Spun also in the maidens’ left eyes,
Paolesco had no doubt whatsoever
That Thaliela spoke nothing but lies.
Then Thaliela, like a threatened animal,
Madly screeched a beastly battle cry,
And the volcano exploded with a deafening
Blast, so that the lava was shooting high;
At that instant Thaliela’s hair transformed
Into fanatical fiery flames,
He realized this island was insanely evil,
As indeed the prophet Petrio claims.
Meanwhile, molten lava rained down
Like meteors from the maniacal mountain,
There’s no doubt that this vicious volcano
Was now a convulsive, fulminating fountain;
The magic maidens were seething with
Hatred, and forward they frantically rushed,
It truly appeared as if Paolesco’s great
Hopes were finally about to be crushed.
The Lady horizontally swung the sword,
Its golden blade flashing bright,
And shooting out from it were pearl-like
Orbs of sizzling, crackling light;
With strength and swiftness, she spun
Completely around, athletic and alert,
Thaliela knew that danger was near,
So she very abruptly hit the dirt.
As the magic maidens rushed forward,
They were speared by the hot beads of light,
Then, black and red, their blood gushed
Forth before having the chance to take flight;
The Lady saw her opportunity, so she
Quickly took Paolesco by the hand,
Then speedily they ran side-by-side
Toward the beach’s burning black sand.
Like multitudinous meteorites, molten
Rocks crashed and exploded all around,
They revengefully ripped open the island’s
Flesh and terrifyingly tore into the ground;
For Thaliela things were not proceeding
According to her insidious plan,
So faster than the speed of darkness,
With flaming hair she obsessively ran.
She tried to overtake the escapers, for
She wanted possession of the candle,
And the painful thought of it eluding her
Was more than she could handle;
As the Dark One’s favorite servant,
She was given special magical powers,
But now that she’s losing the battle,
Her mercurial disposition really sours.
When the Lady reached the beachfront,
She carefully removed each sandal,
Then she waved her hand over the sword,
And it transformed back into a candle;
With patience and poise the Lady lit it again,
So Paolesco could reach his ultimate goal,
Then she sweetly smiled at him, asking
Him to loudly read the magical scroll.
It was in a melodic yet mystical tongue,
Full of guttural sounds and trills,
As the evil Thaliela rapidly approached,
The sound of it gave her the chills;
White smoke gradually materialized,
And rose up from the ancient scroll,
It became a cloud most dazzlingly bright,
Though the night was as dark as coal.
The delightful fragrance of this cloud of
Incense made Thaliela cough and wheeze,
Then the little cloud gradually disappeared,
In a magical, mystical breeze;
Thaliela looked around quite puzzled,
For her enemies had taken flight,
Through the King’s unconquerable power,
They had victoriously vanished from sight.
Thaliela and her maidens wailed in pain
And their hatred grew and grew,
And at that instant the volcano burst
Open and was totally torn in two;
The vanquished volcano was wounded,
And its bloody red guts poured out,
Truly the Dark One had been outwitted,
Of this there was certainly no doubt.
When Paolesco awoke, he was blinded,
By a dazzlingly brilliant light,
He desperately needed some assistance,
In order to regain his sight;
Then the Lady touched both of his eyes,
With the candle’s flickering flame,
Without even feeling the slightest pain,
Perfect vision to Paolesco soon came.
Then above, he saw rippling white clouds
That looked like waves in the skies,
Below, the blue ocean sparkled so bright,
Like millions of starry fireflies;
Glancing to the right, he saw great grandeur:
A palace of glittering gold,
Like the lovely tips of a towering tiara,
Its diamond spires were a sight to behold.
The city streets and sidewalks were paved
With the most precious of elegant pearls,
And at the entrance to the main gate,
The kingdom’s flag peacefully unfurls;
The people contentedly walked about,
At a relaxed and comfortable pace,
They all seemed so cheerful and happy,
With not a frown in the entire place.
Surrounding the palace, along the coast,
Was the striking city of Paradise Bay,
The people’s houses were made of gems
That gloriously gleamed during the day;
With twelve varieties of colorful stones,
The city’s splendid skyline was very pretty,
Truly Paolesco had never yet seen
A more breathtakingly beautiful city.
There was red jasper, flaming gold topaz,
And sapphire of a brilliant blue,
There was luminous lavender amethyst,
And the most elegant emerald too;
There was caramel-colored sardonyx,
And an attractive aquamarine beryl,
Twelve in all lined the magnificent streets
That were made of the most precious pearl.
Then he saw his beloved wife Rosinella
Under two blooming magnolia trees,
She was holding the most exquisite rose,
And her brown curls blew in the breeze;
When they both recognized each other,
Time almost seemed to stand still,
He exuberantly and rapidly ran to her,
And they embraced atop a hill.
Then he cavalierly took her by the waist
And quickly swung her right around,
Paolesco had thought she was gone forever,
But what was lost had now been found;
Giddy with joy, they toppled right over,
And rolled to the hill’s very base,
As he looked into her deep dark eyes,
The happiest of smiles was on his face.
Paolesco felt a serenity like never before,
Experiencing an incredibly beautiful bliss,
He caressed Rosinella’s cheek with his hand
Before giving her a loving kiss;
The Lady knelt down before her King,
Returning the candle and the scroll,
Paolesco finally found his long-lost wife,
So the Lady had accomplished her goal.
The King nobly nodded in approval to all,
For the fulfillment of his master plan,
Paolesco had bravely proven himself,
More like a knight than just a man;
He had listened to wise Petrio’s words,
Of this, truly, he was never sorry,
He was grateful to a very special lady,
The magnificent Lady of Stellamare.