There were two islands
Only a few miles apart
In an azure sea

On the one nearest to the mainland
Lived a rich merchant
His wife and three sons

The merchant was proud
Of his eldest and middle son
Who were resourceful and good businessmen
And much respected by all on the island

But he despaired of his third son
Who was lazy and resentful

One Christmas the rich merchant
Decided to take his wife and three sons
To the island furthest from the mainland
In the azure sea

It was here that the third son
Met a girl called Li
Who was fragrant as a morning flower

They both confessed
Their love for each other
On the day they met

Soon the visit ended
And the rich merchant and his family
Returned to their island

Both Li and the third son
Promised to write to each other on a daily basis
Till they were together again

Each kept their promise
And their messages of love
Were tied to the legs of seabirds
Who travelled between the islands

Many months passed
And the pair fell more deeply in love

But then disaster struck
As an airborne disease
Which affected only seabirds
Took hold on the islands

It had come from the mainland
And soon the skies were deathly quiet

The third son despaired for the seabirds
But also for himself

He approached his father
To ask for permission to travel to the far island
And marry Li

His father granted his wish
On the condition that he built his own boat
From the driftwood that was to be found
On the beaches of the island

Li was informed of the third son’s arduous task
By the rich merchant
When he next visited the island
Furthest from the mainland

She was told that should the third son
Fail in his task
Then he would withdraw his permission

It took the third son nearly a year
To find the special driftwood suitable for the task
And another year to construct his boat

In was on the day that he planned to sail to the far island
That the third son met his father on the beach

His father pointed to the sky
And noted that the seabirds had returned
The pestilence was over

The third son said that he was very happy
That the seabirds had returned
And that they would accompany him on his voyage

As the third son waded towards his boat
His father stopped him and enquired
Why he was attempting such a dangerous voyage
When his beloved Li was waiting for him at the family house

They were married that day with great celebration
And later lived in total happiness
In a house that faced the island furthest from the mainland

In time the little driftwood boat broke up
And returned to the beaches
These was the places where the seabirds rested
Before they flew across the azure sea