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HEARD
IN THE
WOODS
OF A
SUMMER
NIGHT
(THE
CHOORGA
SONG)
by
Bard
Judith
|
This is a children's
song from West-Central Santharia, often sung as a delightful pre-lullaby
to get tired children into their sleepsmocks and onto their pillows. The
chorus, nonsense imitation of the Riccio's chortle though it be, is
remarkably catchy and one may often find it still 'stuck' in the ear after
singing it the night before!
Please note that the last word of the chorus is more of a sort of
full-body 'shudder' which mimes the characteristic little quill-rattle of
a woebegone pricklepig, and one of the children's favourite parts... |
The moon is full, the trees are high,
A pricklesow is out tonight.
She sits and sings her lovelorn song,
Beneath the summer moon so bright.
Ah choorga woorga choorga chu,
Ah guk guk choorga wa!
Ee huf fuf wadda worgle gung,
Ah choorga blukkle sssaaa!
A prickleboar he hears her plaint
And comes a-huffing by,
So nose to nose they dance about
Beneath the starlit sky.
Ah...choorga woorga choorga chu,
Ah guk guk choorga wa!
Ee huf fuf wadda worgle gung
Ah choorga blukkle sssaaa!
Now dance my lad and dance my lass,
And take thy mother's arm,
And dancing off to bed we go,
For naught shall do thee harm.
Ahhhh... choorga woorga choorga chu!
Ah guk guk choorga wa!
Ee huf fuf wadda worgle gung...
Ah choorga blukkle sssaaa!
And pour me some more of that Santharian Ale!"
HEROOL'S
PROWL
by
DECIPHER
ZIRON
|
"Herool’s Prowl" is a
song/poem recited by many Zhunite children. It relates to the story of
Herool, a huge fabled Seawyrm which had the ability to talk telepathically
to his victims before luring them into his trap. In the tale he would lure
swimming children to a hidden place with promises of treasure, and would
devour them. It is supposed to teach children the importance of suspicion
and to forget your own greed. It is also, more blatantly, a warning of the
children to avoid the dangers of the coast, Seawyrm or otherwise... |
Herool, Herool,
You hear his song,
Herool, Herool,
So sweet and long,
Herool, Herool,
Tells you his lies,
Herool, Herool,
The follower dies,
Herool, Herool,
Ignore the beast,
Herool, Herool,
Forget his treats,
Herool, Herool,
Forget your greed,
Herool, Herool,
Retreat with great speed,
Herool, Herool,
You think you’re a winner,
Herool, Herool,
Has made you his dinner,
Herool, Herool,
You hear his song,
Herool, Herool,
So sweet and Long.
ABOUT
A MOUSE
by
FLUFFY
RAMBLER
High on the top of the roof of a house,
Which stood on the side of a large city square,
Next to the chimney alone sat a mouse
And shivered because of the cold nightly air.
And up in the sky, very deep in the dark gauze,
Right there amidst all the pale dots of light,
Just at the place where the big yellow moon was,
It saw a huge piece of cheese glowing bright.
The mouse was dreaming of leaving the roof tiles,
Of flying towards this oh-so-tasty dish.
In spite of the others' sarcastic and cold smiles
It never abandoned its most childish wish.
And so on this night our mouse decided
To finally gather its courage to fly,
Then, with slow steps - though with confidence guided -
It walked down the roof...
... and jumped into the sky.
AS
THE WINTER
GROWS
OLD
by SOIL
FANG
"The world is white! The world is white!"
cried the little hobbit as her heart filled with fright.
"Easy now," her mother said.
"It's something called snow, and we will be all
right."
"But mommy! Its cold
And there is something in my hair!"
"Its a snowfling, my dear
And it fell through the air."
"They are pretty and light so there's no need to run.
It will cover the ground and with time even the sun.
It will freeze all the lands and the fields as a sign
of the world changing for the likes of yours and mine!
The world is white, yes the world is white!
If the river has frozen it's what the winter has
chosen!
Now play little love,
In the snow, on the ice!
This world is pure,
And it carries no lies."
"Oh mommy! The snow
seems like a wonderful thing!
Let's dance to it, mommy!
Let's dance, laugh and sing!
But mommy, I'm still oh so wet and so cold..."
"My child, you'll get warm as the winter grows old."
THE
IRONMAN
by ROGUEHAMMER
He bangs is head and feels nothing,
He whips himself, he whips himself,
He hits himself, and jaw frothing,
He licks himself, he licks himself.
He moves the peaks to make his home,
He lifts them high, he lifts them high,
And when he’s done, no sweat is shown,
He lifts them dry, he lifts them dry.
All hail the Ironman! The Ironman!
He pounds ‘em hard, he pounds ‘em hard,
He pounds ‘em while they’re on their guard,
So all hail the Iron shard!
With a pine is the pommel made,
He shaves it quick, he shaves it quick,
A thousand mines gone in the blade,
He shaves it slick, he shaves it slick.
A thousand logs gone in ‘is shield,
He heaves it far, he heaves it far,
And all the gods, to him they yield,
He weaves it far, he weaves it far.
All hail the Ironman! The Ironman!
He thumps ‘em good, he thumps ‘em good,
He thumps them as nobody could,
So all hail the Iron blood!
A thousand branches gone in ‘is bow,
He pulls it taut, he pulls it taut,
His string is made from dragon’s row,
He holds it taut, he holds it taut.
A thousand chunks gone in ‘is axe,
He brings it ‘round, he brings it ‘round,
His sheaths made of a thousand sacks,
He swings it round, he swings it round.
All hail the Ironman! The Ironman!
He’s made of steel, he’s made of steel,
And, boy, I say, O, he can kill,
So all hail the Iron will!
THE
DRAGONFLY
AND I
by AMUWEN
(A Silly Poem)
One long day ago
Went I to play out
Upon happened I
A dragonfly little
To me said he
How do you do?
To him said I
What mean you do?
For understand him not did I
To me said he
I don't understand you
Shrugged I and away walked
THE
MUSHROOM
MONSTERS
by
Bard
Judith
(Peasant father tucks his kiddies in
for the night,
looks deep into their wide eyes and begins in a low voice.....)
In
The
Night
From town to town
The
Evil
Stalks
With fange'd frown...
The Mutant Mushrooms
Large and wild
Which have been known
To eat a child
Come
With
Their
Fangs
All sharp and bright
Their
Gills
Are
Green
A fungal fright...
Each giant nods
Its mushroom head
A-dripping spores
Of mycoid dread...
And
They
Are
Here!
AROUND YOUR BED!
(Children cower under bedcovers and resolve
not to stick
a toe out till morning... Father goes back
downstairs to his fire and pipe
and a quiet evening with the wife...)
BE
WARY
by
FINNAEL
(This is one of those small poems that mothers say
to their children
to make sure they are careful about where they go.
A very common poem in the norther province of Nermeran,
near the Troll Mountains.)
Be wary of the dreadful troll
that slyly lies in wait
to drag you to his frightful hole
and put you on his plate.
His blood is red and boiling hot,
he yells in frightening tones
He'll cook you in his dinner pot
your skin, your guts, your bones.
So watch your footsteps when you go
upon a dangerous stroll,
or you might end up down below
as supper for the troll.
TAKE
A
SEAT,
HERE'S
YOUR
PLATE
by
SAHNDORF
(A Karii song for the children when they don´t want
to eat their food..)
Take a seat, here's your plate,
Don't look at me with that face.
If you don't like what you see,
Here's a tip for you from me.
Look at... that! And... over there!
Lady Echiilan is everywhere!
If you do not eat your food,
She will come and drink your blood.
SHE
IS
WATCHING
by
FINNAEL
She wanders her castle all day and all night,
Her appearance alone could make you shudder in fright.
Please do not venture into the Water Marshes,
It only causes death to those that she watches.
She waits for a soul to help her through all her tears,
To keep her mind off her hall of broken mirrors.
Please do not venture into the Water Marshes,
It only causes death to those that she watches.
All she does is sit there on her throne,
On top of her head, sits her crown made of bone.
Please do not venture into the Water Marshes,
It only causes death to those that she watches.
If you are bad, she will take you away,
Is what all the Sarvonian mothers would say.
Please do not venture into the Water Marshes,
It only causes death to those that she watches.
So do not be bad, and please be good,
Don’t go outside without your hood.
She could be right there, waiting for you,
She is the Bone Queen, yes it’s true, so
Please do not venture into the Water Marshes,
It only causes death to those that she watches.
BATS
ON THE
WALL
by
FINNAEL
(The following is a typical children's counting
song, known
throughout Santharia, though it is sung in different versions
at different regions of the kingdom. You can find the varities
of the song below. The first two versions are mainly
sung in rural regions like the Manthrian plains.)
100 brown bats sitting up on the wall,
100 brown bats, which one is next to fall,
100 brown bats, a huge gust comes around,
and knocks one more bat,
straight down to the ground.
99 brown bats sitting up on the wall,
99 brown bats, which one is next to fall,
99 brown bats, a huge gust comes around,
and knocks one more bat,
straight down to the ground...
(Sung until only one bat remains)
One more brown bat is sitting up on the wall,
one more brown bat, he is ready to fall,
He waits for the gust to come back once again
to knock him down so that no bats remain.
(Slightly different version:)
100 bats sitting out on a wall,
100 bats on a wall,
A gust comes around,
Knocks one bat to the ground,
99 bats on the wall!
99 bats sitting out on a wall,
99 bats on a wall,
A gust comes around,
Knocks one bat to the ground,
98 bats on the wall!
(Sung until only one rat
remains)
One more brown bat is sitting out on
a wall,
one more brown bat, he is ready to fall,
He waits for the gust to come back once again
to knock him down so that no bats remain.
(In bigger cities like New-Santhala, where the sight of rats is not so
uncommon, the song is often sung with a rat equivalent:)
100 brown rats
sitting on the wall,
100 brown rats, which one is next to fall,
100 brown rats, a huge gust comes around,
and knocks one more rat,
straight down to the ground.
|
Well, not
a rat on a wall, but up a tree for a change... This Santharian rat was drawn by Fiorellina. |
99 brown
rats sitting on the wall,
99 brown rats, which
one is next to fall,
99 brown rats, a huge
gust comes around,
and knocks one more rat,
straight down to the ground.
(Sung until only one rat remains)
One more brown rat is
sitting up on the wall,
one more brown bat, he is ready to fall,
He waits for the gust to come back once again
to knock him down so that no rats remain.
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