Originally published at: A New Mythic Approaches – The Wild Queen – Gems of War
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called May. Her parents were famous minstrels, but poor May couldn’t sing a note. Time after time, her parents scolded her for her poor voice, but try as she might, she just couldn’t sing. May had a secret though - at night when her parents were asleep, having beaten her again for singing out of tune, she would slip out of their wagon and DANCE a wild and beautiful dance under the night sky.
One night, when she was barely 12 years old, out by herself, dancing in the moonlight, she happened upon a group of ruffians. They surrounded her, but thinking quickly, she made them an offer: If her dancing could make them cry, they had to agree to do something for her. Sure enough, May’s beautiful wild dancing, moved the ruffians to tears, so they asked her what she wished. “Kill my parents, and take me with you”, she said. Technically that was 2 things, but the ruffians seemed happy to comply.
The ruffians were mean and cruel to May, but she danced for them every night, and for the most part they left her alone. Still, on occasion, she would slip off to dance by herself. One night, as their band was travelling past Pan’s Vale, she found a herd of Satyrs. They eyed her in a dangerous fashion, but she knew what to do. She made them an offer: If her dancing could make them cry, they had to agree to do something for her. Sure enough, May’s beautiful wild dancing, moved the Satyrs to tears, so they asked her what she wished. “Kill my companions, and take me with you”, she said. The Satyrs happily did so.
When she arrived in the Satyr’s village, all the Wildfolk were very excited to see a human girl! They asked to see her dance, and so she made them another offer: If her dancing could make them cry, they had to agree to do something for her. The Satyrs who had brought her warned the village, but the Wildfolk are not known for listening to warnings. They agreed. And when the whole village was crying with the joy of watching her savage dance, she finally smiled and said: “Now, make me your Queen, and let us conquer the world.”
