Duplicitous dragon licking his wounds,
Crouched in the back of his lair.
He’d been waiting for her from beginning
Of time, relishing her fall through his snare.

Following gaily the apple blossoms
Carpeting the forest floor;
She wound her way up the steep mountainside,
Trailing vestments of light from times of yore.

He smelt her as she drew closer, tendrils
Of flame ignited his grin.
Dry, brittle scales sithed ‘neeth wing and tail;
With blackest mind’s eye he beckoned her in.

Foliage grew moist under silken-shod feet.
The sunlight began to fail.
Apple blossoms fell few and far between,
But there was yet a faintly gleaming trail.

He spied her through his age-old Awwim eyes.
Seeds of evil he did sow.
Slowly but surely, strongly and swiftly
Apples of damnation began to grow.

Princess did you seek this den of malice?
Why did you drink from the chalice of sin?
‘Twas your burden, your plight, for the sake of
Mankind, to usher the saviour in.