May you not chase the events of times past,
nor vex over the future and what it may hold.

Tell her to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

~ Fleda Claes Johansson

I can add nothing of course, except to say that is very nice!

@Espiritus_Corvus I’m curious where you found that. The second stanza is lyrics from the old traditional ballad ”Scarborough Fair,” and Fleda Claes Johansson is a fictional character from Gunslinger Girl. There’s an episode of the anime version that revolves around her and uses “Scarborough Fair” as a leitmotif, but she never says the first part in the episode. Perhaps, then, it is from the issue of the manga that the episode is based on.

@SavoirFaire If you mean the quote “May you not… etc.” Claes says it to Triela in the final episode of Gunslinger Girl 2, “IL TEATRINO,” the OAV. I asked the question wondering if anyone famous had said it before her. There have been other sayings similar to it.

@kritiper Ah, I see. In that case, it doesn’t seem like that wording of the sentiment comes from anything else.