Vengeful Lemons - A collab.

Citronella was a fair young maid
And Citrus was her beau.
'Til late one night, an' she abed,
Poor Citrus he did go
A-questing for the pilchard-tree
So deadly was his foe!

The maiden sighed when she awoke;
She knew- ere word was said
Where her dear youthful knight had gone,
Then fill'd her heart with dread.
For pilchardfish are strong and cruel-
Her love might soon be dead!

Young Citrus he went questing on,
But though the youth was brave;
Dark fear was always at his back,
And in his head- the Grave.
Until he stopp'd and rested him
Inside a darkling cave.

But in the cave there was a stream
And by the stream a tree
That hight the rainbow pilchardthing
There swam great fishes, three.
Poor Citrus, he slept hapless on
An' those fish did not see.

The fish- ycladd in slimy gore
From their cold deathpool crept
And happ'd upon brave Citrus there,
And kill'd him, while he slept.
Then dragged him back to the chill stream
For there their meal they kept.

Fair Citronella then awoke
As though in waking dream.
And in this state, six lemonfruit
In chamber close did seem.
To her they told the grisly tale-
To her they shew the stream.

'Dear Fruit,' bade Citronella next,
'Who seeming all things ken,
Go and avenge my Citrus love
And kill the pilchards, then,
Those odious corpses bring back, to
Fulfil my darkest yen.'

The lemons did as they were told,
And killed the pilchards quick.
Then carried back the carcasses
Although they felt quite sick.
The maiden looked them up and down
The biggest fish did pick.

The maid then heated up a fire,
And over, hung a pot.
She filleted and gut the fish
And boiled it up, quite hot.
Then on a platter plac'd the meal
And quite a feast she'd got.

The pretty maid pulled out a fork
And tried a little slice
Then looked the lemons up and down
Till one asked, 'Is it nice?'
'It needs a touch more zest,' she said.
'You lemons will suffice.'