To see her means that the Fever has come; where she walks is where it will strike. Occasionally she can be seen to turn aside and touch someone or something; boat or dwelling. The Fever will strike there, and carry off at least half the inhabitants.
There is one strange sidelight to M'sera—very occasionally she will be seen to follow young men and women at a discreet distance. When the person in question has parted from companions, she will accost that person—and contrive to touch or kiss him. Such a one is doomed, but strangely doomed. His (or her) candle will burn briefly, but very bright— she (or he) is destined to become a brilliant artist, poet, musician, composer—and die at the height of fame.
MEROVINGIAN SONGS
Revenantist Man
by Anonymous
(A drinking song)
He was a Revenantist man, lived a Revenantist life,
He surely was a Revenantist with a Revenantist wife.
He had Revenantist karma and it piled up by the day,
He drowned and came around again, and it was all to pay.
He was a . . .
Verses ad infinitum (Adventist; New Worlder; Adventist Revisionist; Sword of Godder; Janist; Sharrist; descending in social acceptability until final verse:
He was a little bitty worm, he lived a wormy life
He surely was a bitty worm with a wormy wife,
He had wormy karma and it piled up by the day,
He died and came around again and it was all to pay,
He was a . . .
[Fill in religions in reverse: at which point begin all over again ad nauseam.]
Baby, Baby
by Unknown*
Baby, baby whoa-oh, baby baby yeah, yeah, oh yeah,
Come on, baby, whoa-oh, sweetest lovin' you'll ever see.
Baby, baby whoa-oh, baby baby yeah, yeah, oh yeah,
Baby, baby whoa-oh, baby baby yeah, yeah, oh yeah,
Sweet lovin', whoa-oh—
Baby, baby whoa-oh, baby baby yeah, yeah, oh yeah,
Baby, baby whoa-oh, baby baby yeah, yeah, oh yeah,
Yeah, baby, whoa-oh, baby, yeah.
*Lyrics believed to date from the 20th century.
Index to City Maps
Table of Contents
Title Page
WHERE IN HELL AM I?
C.J. CHERRYH invites you to enter the world of MEROVINGEN NIGHTS!
Title
FLOOD TIDE Copyright © 1990 by C.J. Cherryh
CONTENTS
MAPS
FLOOD TIDE
THE TESTING
FLOOD TIDE (REPRISED)
THE TESTING (REPRISED)
FLOOD TIDE (REPRISED)
THE TESTING (REPRISED)
DONT LOOK BACK
FLOOD TIDE (REPRISED)
THE TESTING (REPRISED)
WALKING ON THE WAVES
WHERE'S THE FIRE?
WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
MARRIAGE
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
FLOOD TIDE REPRISED
RAPPROCHEMENT
FLOOD TIDE (REPRISED)
APPENDIX
MEROVINGIAN SONGS
Index to City Maps
Flood Tide Page 26