The mermaid of Westenschouwen

Westenschouwen was a blessed town by the sea. The wind beat up the waves and blew the ships forward. The waves carried the ships into the harbour where they brought prosperity. The people of Westenschouwen were lively and ardent. During the years the town grew and her residents became rich.

POOR OF MIND

This wealth made the citizens self-satisfied and proud. There did not exist a better town than Westenschouwen. There was no better harbour. There were no better fishermen. The fishermen had made the town big by working hard. It was the most natural thing in the world that they did well, they thought. Was there somewhere poverty and ill luck in their city? If so it was their own fault, the citizens of Westenschouwen thought. Those people didn’t do their utmost. Compassion and help were words that were not found in their dictionaries. The fuller their pouch got, the emptier their hearts became.

A QUEER CATCH

One day a queer catch was made on a fishing boat. In the net that had been thrown out they saw a strange catch: a mermaid struggled in it. Through the darns they saw a scaled body of a fish with two white-skinned arms and a miraculously beautiful head of a woman with sea-green curls. At first the fishermen were startled until they saw their prey was harmless.

MOCKERY AND SORROW

They men started to get pleasure in their catch. They shouted proudly to the other ships of their fleet what they had caught in their nets. Salty tears ran down the face of the mermaid. She was afraid of these rough, scoffing men and she wanted to get back into the water. But the fishermen didn’t let her go. They laughed at her because of her green hair and big scales. The net was hoisted into the mast. "Have a good look at the water, you ghost0-vixen. You came out of there but you will never get in again. You shouldn’t have been so stupid to have yourself caught”.

THE MERMAN

The poor mermaid called something over the water and reached out longingly. The fishermen follow her glance. They saw a merman approaching with swift (free-) style. It body glistened but his face was gloomy. His beard and hairs were foamy white. “Give me back my wife” sounded beseeching over the water. “Do not break our happiness! You have nothing of her, as she can’t stay alive outside the water. She will die within the hour. Let her go. I will thank you a thousandfold!”

NO COMPASSION

The men of Westenschouwen roared with laughter. “We did a fair catch”, one of them shouted. “To have is to hold and to get her is the art”. another one yelled. The ship sailed into the harbour and the merman followed. People rushed to the quay to have a look at the special catch. The mermaid grew weaker and weaker. Her eyes stood lacklustre and she stared apathetic over the sea. The crowd on the quay was as cruel as the fishermen. They knew no compassion. The merman begged for mercy but the citizens of Westenschouwen bombarded him with stones.

WOE OVER WESTENSCHOUWEN

Then the merman lifted himself from the water. He beat the water to foam with his fists and his voice thundered over the waves. “Hear ye brutes, hear ye! Woe over Westenschouwen!” People hushed terrified. The water around the merman coloured black and dark clouds darkened the sky.

" Westenschouwen, Westenschouwen,

You will be rued,
that you took my wife!

Westenschouwen, that’s why you shall founder,

Only your tower will remain!

But if give me back my wife

I will wall your town.”

Then the merman submerged. For a moment it looked as if everybody was impressed.

But when the first sneering laugh sounded, many more followed.

Westenschouwen was unfeeling for the sorrow of others.

MOURNING over WESTENSCHOUWEN

From below that moment doom fell over the town. The port sanded. Often the merman emerged from the waves, his hands full of sand and seaweed. Ships ran aground and coud lnot enter the harbour anymore. Business slant down.

Gnawing poverty took riches place. The sand penetrated the town more and more. Roofs collapsed under the weight of the sand. It penetrated all holes and cracks. Walls fell over and people were on the run.

Only the tower stood there as promised by the merman. “Mourning, mourning in Westenschouwen!” the sand whispered and the wind wailed it aloud “mourning, morning over Westenschouwen!

Thank you Helen sweetie *S*

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