Tourists and visitors to Aesee Lake in Meunster, Germany have been witness this year to a tragic tale of unrequited love. A rare and elegant black swan has spent the summer courting his love to no avail, following her, circling her and warning all others to stay away.

The object of his affection? A pedal boat shaped like a swan.

Since his arrival at the lake in May, the black swan has been staying by his love’s side. Biologists say his behavior is typical of a lovestruck swan.

The swan boat is many times the size of the black swan, but it may be her size and the elegant sweep of her neck that attracted him. Tourists have beome wary of renting out the plastic pedal boat because the black swan follows alongside.

Swans mate for life and so this may be the most star-crossed love story of all, for no matter how long her courts her, she can never be his,

Now that winter is coming, the swan has so far refused to leave and fly south, staying close by his love. As the pedal boat swan cannot take wing and join him, the owner of the boat has agreed to move it to a nearby zoo so that the couple can spend the winter in a warm and safe place.

Does it happen? Or, more to the point, does it last? Everyone has an opinion and it probably depends upon your own life experience as to how you answer the question. Even scientists have had a go at this one, conducting learned studies (like this one, reported in American Scientist) that seem to ask more questions than they answer.

Then there are the ones who have decided that it’s impossible and are prepared to say so. This post from AfterOphelia is an example. Others are more prepared to admit the possibility, although it seems that this happens more often if you Ask Men.

Sometimes, however, a story comes along that gives the romantics new hope. Consider this charming story from the BBC, the story of Richard Jones and Penny McCarthy. Perhaps it does happen, after all.

One of my other blogs, Formula 1 Latest, deals with the world of auto racing in its most extreme form, known as Formula One. An important part of that world is the matter of running the show, one of the most complex and political games of international business. And the star of the show is the man who (amongst many other things) hands out the right to televise the races, Bernie Ecclestone.

Once a racer himself, Bernie graduated to team ownership and from there transformed himself into one of the most powerful men in Formula One. Along the way he also became a member of the richest people in the world club; his fortune is counted in billions of dollars.

It is interesting to learn that Bernie, often called “Mr Formula One”, had to pursue his future bride before winning her. In 1984, at the age of 54, Bernie met the 26 year old Croatian model, Slavica Radic, during a Formula One event. Despite being nearly a foot shorter than the 6′ 2″ Slavica, Bernie fell for her and chased her relentlessly. At the time Bernie spoke no Croatian and Slavica spoke only her native tongue and Italian, so the courtship must have been a bit difficult.

Yet, in true determined Ecclestone fashion, Bernie won his bride and they were married. They have two daughters, Tamara and Petra, and the marriage has lasted for more than twenty years. The couple can still be seen at times on the Formula One grid, with Bernie hanging on gamely to his statuesque wife’s arm. A very telling snippet of information is that much of Bernie’s fortune is in Slavica’s name and she holds an important position within the Formula One corridors of power.

Now, if that ain’t a “great romance” I don’t know what is…

Clive

Among the stories of Great Romances, there are always those tragic tales of great love that never was.

The song “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt is an ode to just such a tale. Woven into the delicate melody is the deep melancholy of a man who has fallen in love at first sight with a woman he cannot hope to have as his own. He begins almost hopefully, perhaps caught up in those first few moments of heart-stopping attraction:

My life is brilliant
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I’m sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won’t lose no sleep on that,
‘Cause I’ve got a plan.

But the true nature of the situation soon invades his thinking and reason pushes aside those blinding moments when the heart soars.

You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don’t know what to do,
‘Cause I’ll never be
with you.

It’s a brilliant stroke that the song leaves us never sure if the singer is simply recalling an event or if this was a deep fantasy of an unbalanced man.

Yes, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Flying high,
And I don’t think that I’ll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last ’till the end.

The video clears any doubts as to the depth of his feelings about this woman he has seen only in a passing moment. As he sings the last verse, he removes his shirt and shoes, empties his pockets and lines them up in front of him in a methodical and orderly fashion.

You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
I saw your face in
a crowded place,
And I don’t know what to do,
‘Cause I’ll never be with you.

As the realization of the futility of this love takes over his consciousness, the singer leaps from a high wall into the sea and the last few lines of despair ring out as he hits the water.

You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it’s time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

You’re Beautiful Video - James Blunt