While henry hamilton-smythe minor (8) was playing croquet with cynthia jane de blaise-william (9), sweet-smiling cynthia raised her mallet high and gracefully removed henry's head. two weeks lat
N henry's nursery, she discovered his treasured musical box. eagerly she opened it and as old king cole began to play, a small spirit- figure appeared. henry had returned - but not f
Ng, for as he stood in the room his body began ageing rapidly, leaving a child's mind inside. a lifetime's desires surged through him. unfortunately the attempt to persuade cynthia jane to fulfi
S romantic desire led his nurse to the nursery to investigate the noise. instinctively nanny hurled the musical box at the bearded child, destroying both.

Play me old king cole
That I may join with you,
All your hearts now seem so far from me
It hardly seems to matter now.

And the nurse will tell you lies
Of a kingdom beyond the skies.
But I am lost within this half-world,
It hardly seems to matter now.

Play me my song.
Here it comes again.
Play me my song.
Here it comes again.

Just a little bit,
Just a little bit more time,
Time left to live out my life.

Play me my song.
Here it comes again.
Play me my song.
Here it comes again.

Old king cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
So he called for his pipe,
And he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.

But the clock, tick-tock,
On the mantlepiece -
And I want, and I feel, and I know, and I touch,
Her warmth...

She's a lady, she's got time,
Brush back your hair, and let me get to know your face.
She's a lady, she is mine.
Brush back your hair, and let me get to know your flesh.

I've been waiting here for so long
And all this time has passed me by
It doesn't seem to matter now
You stand there with your fixed expression
Casting doubt on all I have to say.
Why don't you touch me, touch me,
Why don't you touch me, touch me,
Touch me now, now, now, now, now...

• For Absent Friends
• Harlequin
• Harold The Barrel
• Seven Stones
• The Fountain of Salmacis
• The Musical Box
• The Return of The Giant Hogweed