Return
to the Therra Prose Page
The Lady
of Dunwood (complete)
A Song of Valour and Love by Redondo the Bard
Whither art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion?
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day
O Lady of Dunwood,
mistress of trees
How did you the woodcutter's son so please
That you offered to him your heart pure and true
Knowing the trials that you both would go through?
For to love the daughter
of river and soil
A mortal man must slave and toil
And so did the cutter's son so troth
To endure the geas to which he was loathe
Whither art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion?
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day
But the mortal man's
fickleness he denies
And so he has given the use of his eyes
To taste his long life if he chooses to bind
To his fey love for he must live fully blind
And after a year and
a day without sight
If still he feels the call of love's bite
Then to his heart's call must hearken he
And return to the site of his lover's tree
And pledge his undying
love to his prize
In exchange for the light of his mortal eyes
Then shall he know the calm embrace
That is oft denied to the folk of his race.
Whither art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion?
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day
And so did he wander
a day and one year
And lady and lover they both showed no fear
For the woodcutter's son's heart it was true
And the Lady kept faith in him for she knew
That nothing could
keep her lover away
From returning to her on appointed day
But as the day to return came nigh
The Lady could naught but to cry
For where was the woodcutter's
son
Whose heart she had so fairly won?
Had he turned from his unsighted path
To stoke the fairy maiden's wrath?
Whither art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion?
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day
But take heart O Lady,
do not demur
For your lover's heart remains wholly pure
Let not your sylvan wrath awaken
For your lover was by fell kobolds taken!
But love finds a way,
for it is strong
And the fates will seek to right this grave wrong
And so do the heroes from lands to the north
Hear of her plight and sally forth
To slay the foul kobolds
in their wormy den
And rescue the blind cutter's son and his friend
And return them to the Lady's fair grove
Where the son once again confirms his love
Whither art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion?
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day
And so they embrace
and their union is sealed
When up comes a spring and his eyes they are healed!
For Erinhoru herself has this marriage blessed
And the woodcutter's son has passed his heart's test
And now they dwell
in bliss and in peace
In the Heart of Dunwood they take their surcease
And if you would allow me to impart this tale's favour
From the path of true love let thy heart never waver
Welcomed art thou oh
man of devotion
Who hath drunk of the wood's heady potion!
For 'tis true that to prove your love for the fey
Thou must travail a year, that and one day!
Return
to the Therra Prose Page