The Big Berndt Book of Poems and Faerie Tales

Meeka

     Have you ever seen a mermaid being born?

     It's a lovely sight.

     King Setzpen, King of all Merfolk, falls asleep, and cries in his slumber. Each tear turns into a soft, pink pearl. Soon the pearl bends and twists, develops fingers and fins. Then crack! The pearl breaks, and out pops a mermaid. But one day, something happened. Instead of a pink pearl, Setzpen cried a silver pearl with golden trimmings.

     The merfolk chatted excitedly.

     "Who will she be? What will she look like?"

     It took some time, but the pearl transformed. Instead of skinny arms, the new girl had wings. Instead of a bright, fishy tail, she had a straight one, like an antenna with an angler fish lure on the end. Her skin was white and silver, and her face had turned-up eyes in a forever smile. The merfolk scoffed and left, just as the new girl saw they were there. Her little heart began to break, but Setzpen picked her up and smiled.

     "Don't mind them," he said to her, then took her to his palace and adopted her as his own. He named her Meeka, then sent her on a special quest. "I know your worth," said Setzpen, "And soon, everyone else will, too."

     He wouldn't say much else, except that she was to meet a witch named Yetshu, who had something for her. So, Meeka set off, the jeering mermaids watching her go.

     It was not far to the next village.

     At the town line, an old, shriveled mermaid approached Meeka.

     "Please," she said, "My fins are weak. Could you carry me on your back towards town?"

     Meeka nodded with a smile, lowering herself so that the mermaid could climb on. The old mermaid beckoned Meeka into a sunken ship, and the moment Meeka entered, a bright blue light filled the ship. Yetshu stood before her, not as a shriveled old mermaid, but as a glorious sea serpent. 

     Realizing who she was talking to, Meeka immediately bowed. The sea serpent shook her head and lifted Meeka's chin with her claw. "You have done well," said Yetshu. "I reward those with kindness and strength of heart. What would you like?"

     "Maybe," said Meeka shyly, "You can turn me into a mermaid. Y'know...a real one."

     Yetshu stared her straight in the eyes. Then, when she saw she was serious about it, Yetshu threw back her head and laughed. Meeka backed away from her, hurt.

     "I can do that, but I won't," said Yetshu. "Do you know why?"

     Meeka shook her head, then hung it in defeat. Yetshu lifted Meeka's chin and nuzzled her on the cheek. 

     "It's because you are so much more than that," she whispered. She swam to the top deck of the ship and returned with a satchel in her claws. "This is what your father sent you to retrieve. It's for you."

     Meeka took the bag with quivering wings. She opened it and looked in.

     Inside was a gold crown, like the ones the humans above used to wear. Meeka put her fin to her mouth. "Not even Setzpen has a gold crown," she whispered. "That is because it is difficult to mine underwater," said Yetshu. "But a little magic makes it possible. Try it on."

     Meeka did. It fit perfectly. "But what does this mean?" she asked.

     "Your ancestors, the manta-maids, were the true rulers of the sea once. They were dying. Setzpen agreed that should all the manta-maids be wiped out, if any would reappear, they would be given full reign of the sea. Guess what you are, my dear? You're definitely not a mermaid."

     Meeka squealed and hugged Yetshu. Yetshu transformed back into an old mermaid, and--once she was latched to Meeka's back--they took off towards Setzpen.

     Setzpen looked bored out of his mind. His many sons and daughters tried to entertain him, but he could only think of his precious Meeka. When Meeka came rushing towards him, he clapped his hands and received her. Yetshu watched and smiled.

     "Thank you so much, Father," said Meeka, nuzzling his nose. Setzpen chuckled. "I see you got the parcel, then," he chimed.

     "Everyone, everyone! Into the banquet hall! I have a special announcement!" roared King Setzpen.

     As everyone filtered in, Yetshu watched with her old eyes. Then, deciding she had seen enough, she turned to the doors in order to enter.

     Three girls blocked her way: Jackie, Janet, and Jessie. They crossed their arms in front of her as she swam.

     "Sorry, old hag. You can't go in there," said Janet.

     "Yeah. Hag. You'd stink up the whole palace," said Jackie.

     Jessie was too busy laughing to say anything.

     "That's it. From now on, you shall be stripped of your beauty...stripped of everything, in fact," said Yetshu. In the flash of a blue light, she turned back into her dragon form. The three mermaids screamed and tried to escape, but Yetshu's magic was too quick.

     Yetshu entered the banquet hall as an old mermaid, one corner of her mouth turned up. The three girls entered as three mute eels, disorientated and blind.

     "Enough talking!" Yetshu laughed. I brought three eels for dinner tonight. What is everyone else going to bring?"

     Immediately, everyone took off except for Setzpen and Meeka. They embraced each other again and again. Then the food was prepared, and everyone ate well.

     The day after was Meeka's coronation. She held Setzpen's and Yetshu's hands as she swam to her new throne, and gave them each a kiss once she settled on it. Meeka grew to be a strong and wise ruler, and never thought about her appearance afterwards. For if she deserved as much, if not more than a mermaid, why worry about something so fragile as appearances?

           

-Sara K. Berndt