...continued.

I am going ahead of myself. I will tell you about Jabali, the handsome man of the sea. I will tell you about his eyes and smile, but for now let us start with her crown, for it is the only truth that has survived to date.

A crown of sea shells, pearls and a flower.

The sea shells were a gift from the ocean. The pearls were a gift from the one who ruled the waves and the creatures of the ocean.

It is believed that it was him who found her by the shore that night when her mother abandoned her. He rose from the ocean, laid his eyes on her and held back the waves. The first time I saw him my heart took to the nearby forest leaving me with my mouth wide open staring at fate. He had eyes like the ocean and a jaw of three men combined.

He gently placed a baby in my arms and though his lips moved no sound came out of them. The baby wiggled and let out a sharp cry but I kept my eyes on her knowing that this was a promise I would take to my grave. Every night, I carried the baby to the shore and waited until the waves kept calm and he would come and hold her, gently swaying her and looking into her eyes. For years I asked about the mother of the child and all he could do was look at me and shake his head. If people knew about him