Maksim and the Sirin

Maksim was working hard when he heard a bird song he had never

heard before, and it was so beautiful that he felt compelled to put down

his tools and listen. As the song continued, he was filled with an urge to

find the creature that was singing a song that filled his soul with such

happiness.

Leaving his tools on the ground, he walked out into the woods looking up

into the trees, seeing only the common birds that he saw every day. In

an apple tree, he saw an owl which although an unusual sight during the

day, was a bird he knew, and he struggled to believe an owl could make

such a beautiful sound.

As he continued after the song, the bird he was chasing got further and

further away from him and could do nothing but follow it as he was so

enchanted by the beautiful sound. He felt that the song was purely for

him, and he felt every one of his worries and concerns falling away from

him. He felt like a child again, happy, and joyful.

As he chased the sound, he caught sight of the owl again and this time it

appeared to be waiting for him. As Maksin got closer, the bird turned its

head to look at him and instead of the face of an owl, it had the face of a

beautiful woman and from her mouth came the beautiful sound.

The bird took to the air once more and Maksim followed, although his

mind was warning him that this was a Sirin and nothing good could

come from it. He had heard the tales and the warning that once you

followed the Sirin’s song you had nowhere to go but to your death. The

bird flew on, out over the sea and Maksim blissfully happy followed,

deeper, and deeper into the water until he could not longer hear the

beautiful song or anything else ever again.