Genesis - The Fountain of Salmacis lyrics

From a dense forest of tall, dark, pinewood
Mount Ida rises like an island
Within a hidden cave, nymphs had kept a child
Hermaphroditus, son of gods
So afraid of their love

As the dawn creeps up, the sky
The hunter caught sight of a doe
In desire for conquest
He found himself within a glade
He'd not beheld before

Hermaphroditus: "Where are you my father
Give wisdom to your son" (Narrator:
"Then he could go no further
Now lost, The boy was guided by the sun")

And as his strength began to fail
He saw a shimmering lake
A shadow in the dark green depths
Disturbed the strange tranquillity

Salmacis: "The waters are disturbed
Some creature has been stirred"

(Narrator: "The waters are disturbed
The naiad queen Salmacis has been stirred")

As he rushed to quench his thirst
A fountain spring appeared before him
And as his heated breath brushed
Through the cool mist
A liquid voice called, "Son of gods
Drink from my spring"

The water tasted strangely sweet
Behind him the voice called again
He turned and saw her
In a cloak of mist alone and as he gazed
Her eyes were filled with the
Darkness of the lake salmacis:
"We shall be one we shall be joined as one"

(Narrator: "She wanted them as one
Yet he had no desire to be one")

Hermaphroditus: "Away from me
Cold-blooded woman your thirst is not mine"
Salmacis: "Nothing will cause us to part
Hear me, O Gods"

Unearthly calm descended from the sky
And then their flesh and
Bones were strangely merged
Forever to be joined as one

The creature crawled into the lake
A fading voice was heard:
"And I beg, yes I beg
That all who touch this spring
May share my fate"

Salmacis: "We are the one
We are the on"
(Narrator: "The two are now made one
Demi-god and nymph are now made on")
Both had given everything they had
A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last
Forever still beneath the lake