A Christmas In The Woods

[This is a companion article to "A Wedding in the Woods" by James D. Priest]

What do a fire engine, a mythical Greek island, and the state of Wisconsin have in common? They all have sirens. The fire engine is obvious. What about the other two?

Greek mythology tells of a lonely, rocky island occupied by sea nymphs called Sirens. They waited for ships to pass and then sang alluringly. Their song was so seductive that men leapt overboard and vessels crashed on the stony coastline, the skeletons of sailors littering the shore. Odysseus, nonetheless, was able to navigate past the island because he plugged his sailors’ ears with beeswax. But he wanted to hear the irresistible sound, and had himself lashed to the mast. He nearly went mad listening. I...

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