The Fountain of Salmacis

From a dense forest of tall, dark, pinewood Mount Ida rises like an island Within a hidden cave, nymphs had kept a child; Hermaphroditus, son of gods, so afraid of their love As the dawn creeps up the sky The hunter caught sight of a doe In desire for conquest He found himself within a glade he'd not beheld before Hermaphroditus: "Where are you my father Give wisdom to your son" (Narrator: "Then he could go no further Now lost, The boy was guided by the sun") And as his strength began to fail He saw a shimmering lake A shadow in the dark green depths Disturbed the strange tranquility Salmacis: "The waters are disturbed Some creature has been stirred" (Narrator: "The waters are disturbed The naiad queen Salmacis has been stirred") As he rushed to quench his thirst A fountain spring appeared before him And as his heated breath brushed through the cool mist A liquid voice called, "Son of gods, drink from my spring" The water tasted strangely sweet Behind him the voice called again He turned and saw her, in a cloak of mist alone And as he gazed, her eyes were filled with the darkness of the lake Salmacis: "We shall be one We shall be joined as one" (Narrator: "She wanted them as one Yet he had no desire to be one") Hermaphroditus: "Away from me cold-blooded woman Your thirst is not mine" Salmacis: "Nothing will cause us to part Hear me O Gods" Unearthly calm descended from the sky And then their flesh and bones were strangely merged Forever to be joined as one The creature crawled into the lake A fading voice was heard: "And I beg, that all who touch this spring May share my fate" Salmacis: "We are the one We are the one" (Narrator: "The two are now made one Demi-god and nymph are now made one") Both had given everything they had A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last Forever still beneath the lake