For years, the boy walked past the washwoman who lived by the village church and washed her rags in the street for all to see

Catching his glance, one day she said, ‘Dear boy, in time you will fall in love with the sound of a merman’s lullaby. The night star above the ancient oak will guide you to him’ 

Years past. Humming a merman’s lullaby, the boy, now nearing middle age, walked past the now frail washwoman still washing her rags in the street for all to see

‘Did you follow the star?’ she asked. ‘No. I trusted my judgement and followed my heart’.