You walk to the lake. Grass and wildflowers grow around it. It is a clear, crystal blue. You can see all the way to the bottom of it. There are no fish, in fact there is no movement in the lake. Not even the soft breeze seems to stir the lake's calmness.

All of a sudden a huge wave starts in the lake. You take a surprised step back, wondering where the wave came from. The wave stops in the middle of the lake and a swan rises up from it.

The swan is of a pearl color with silver wings and a gold beak. You hear its voice in your mind:

"Welcome, young friend.
I sing of the past
When they were but children
She, playing with imaginary unicorns and dragons,
He, playing with his pretend soldiers in battle

I sing of the past nearer to our present
When they were still children
Just a bit older, who found a new game
Love, and played it together

I sing of the present
When she, still a child, lies on her deathbed
And he is forced to grow wise
Child no more

I sing of the future
When he, an adult, will follow in my footsteps
d then finish singing to mourn his lost Love
Just as I, and the one before me, do now

I sing no more.