Winter's Tale

Introduction: Written by Therrilliar after spending a winter up in the Dragonspine mountains hunting snowbeasts, this song won third place in the Fourth Bardic Tourney. The tune originated from a Led Zeppelin song (the chorus, though it has different lyrics, can be hummed to the same tune as that song), but all the lyrics are completely original.

The song is a pastiche progressing from autumn to spring and encompassing all of the joys and travails of human existence in a single winter.

Come sit and listen to the winter's tale
The room be warm and so's the ale
And as you sit, rejoice in life's regale
For the spark of life is flickering frail


Farmer's son looks across the field of snow
Past is the time to reap, not yet the time to sow
As autumn ebbs there came first winter's touch
Though at first the snowflakes do not fall so much

Glad at first snap of wintry chill
It means for a time no more fields to till
He puts behind a year of sweat and toil
There is no growing in the frozen soil

Now will he dance at coming yuletide fest
And enjoy the winter's call with youthful zest
For the winter's respite is short and sweet
And soon the call of spring will he greet

And he laughs...

I embrace the coming of my winter
Winter's the time to dance and sing and tell tall tales
I give thanks to Mistress Winter
For there is respite in the landscape deathly pale

Young man merchant all alone in the snow
His wagon wheel on the road was thrown
He began his trek in unmindful heed
From his trader brethren though they did plead

He was leaving too late at the end of fall
He would not hear the sound of winter's call
Now the icy roads caused his wagon to slip
And the brittle cold fouled his wheel's grip

With a final gasp he lays down by his horse
There is no more warmth from that animal's corpse
He pulls his satin cloak o'er his shivering head
For he knows by the morrow will he be dead

And he thinks...

I feel the coming of my winter
I feel its icy tendrils lightly caressing me
I give myself to Mistress Winter
May she receive my soul and with mercy set me free


Old man runs through the fallen snow
Though where he heads he does not know
But legs are tired and side does ache
And though deadly tired he cannot break

For he has braved the ancient mountains cold
In search of rumours of forgotten gold
And of all the dangers he dismissed as least
The grip of winter 'pon the wild beast

So he looks behind him one last time
To see the pack up the hillside climb
For the wolves are frenzied from lack of prey
But the winter has brought them their sup this day

And he gasps...

I feel the coming of my winter
I feel its steamy breath damp and hot upon my heels
I curse the day I braved the winter
For she's a mistress who delights in whom she steals


Moans are dampened by the falling snow
Still the shrieks begin to grow and grow
Husband holds the hand of suff'ring wife
As she brings to being a brand new life

For her time thought far was really near
And for her life does the poor man fear
For birthing is ne'er an easy event
But with the chilling cold her life's near spent

With her final heave does life begin
And with her dying breath do her eyes drink in
The sight of her babe in husband's arm
As he swadles the infant to keep it warm

And she hears him...

I feel the coming of my winter
For winter be the time of dying and rebirth
This utter joy be mixed with sadness
I pray the spring may come and wash away the hurt


Old woman gazes at the falling snow
She sits in her chair rocking to and fro
And though she knows the fire she should tend
She's content to sit and let her life here end

For she has lived these Oh so many years
Through days of laughter and through nights of tears
And now she hears a frosty voice entice
It reminds her of the tinkle of falling ice

So she sits back and shuts her rheumy eyes
And while she does the fire slowly dies
And all the aches and pains of life subside
As she invites the winter's touch to her inside

And the voice says...

This is the ending of your winter
You respected me and lived your life in peace
Come join your husband in my springtime
For in the end you have earned your blest surcease


And so ends the winter's tale
Within's a lesson you should avail
For though man is proud and hates to fail
It is always the winter that shall prevail

 

Script [may be used by any bard as long as Therrilliar is credited]

#Song - Winter's Tale

Put sing Come sit and listen to the winter's tale;The room be warm and so's the ale;And as you sit, rejoice in life's regale;For the spark of life is flickering frail

Pause 14

Put sing Farmer's son looks across the field of snow;Past is the time to reap, not yet the time to sow;As autumn ebbs there came first winter's touch;Though at first the snowflakes do not fall so much

Pause 14

Put sing Glad at first snap of wintry chill;It means for a time no more fields to till;He puts behind a year of sweat and toil;There is no growing in the frozen soil

Pause 14

Put sing Now will he dance at coming yuletide fest;And enjoy the winter's call with youthful zest;For the winter's respite is short and sweet;And soon the call of spring will he greet

Pause 14

Put sing And he laughs...

Pause 3

Put sing I embrace the coming of my winter;Winter's the time to dance and sing and tell tall tales;I give thanks to Mistress Winter;For there is respite in the landscape deathly pale

Pause 16

Put sing Young man merchant all alone in the snow;His wagon wheel on the road was thrown;He began his trek in unmindful heed;From his trader brethren though they did plead

Pause 14

Put sing He was leaving too late at the end of fall;He would not hear the sound of winter's call;Now the icy roads caused his wagon to slip;And the brittle cold fouled his wheel's grip

Pause 14

Put sing With a final gasp he lays down by his horse;There is no more warmth from that animal's corpse;He pulls his satin cloak o'er his shivering head;For he knows by the morrow will he be dead

Pause 14

Put sing And he thinks...

Pause3

Put sing I feel the coming of my winter;I feel its icy tendrils lightly caressing me;I give myself to Mistress Winter;May she receive my soul and with mercy set me free

Pause 16

Put sing Old man runs through the fallen snow;Though where he heads he does not know;But legs are tired and side does ache;And though deadly tired he cannot break

Pause 14

Put sing For he has braved the ancient mountains cold;In search of rumours of forgotten gold;And of all the dangers he dismissed as least;The grip of winter 'pon the wild beast

Pause 14

Put sing So he looks behind him one last time;To see the pack up the hillside climb;For the wolves are frenzied from lack of prey;But the winter has brought them their sup this day

Pause 14

Put sing And he gasps...

Pause 3

Put sing I feel the coming of my winter;I feel its steamy breath damp and hot upon my heels;I curse the day I braved the winter;For she's a mistress who delights in whom she steals

Pause 16

Put sing Moans are dampened by the falling snow;Still the shrieks begin to grow and grow;Husband holds the hand of suff'ring wife;As she brings to being a brand new life

Pause 14

Put sing For her time thought far was really near;And for her life does the poor man fear;For birthing is ne'er an easy event;But with the chilling cold her life's near spent

Pause 14

Put sing With her final heave does life begin;And with her dying breath do her eyes drink in;The sight of her babe in husband's arm;As he swadles the infant to keep it warm

Pause 14

Put sing And she hears him...

Pause 3

Put sing I feel the coming of my winter;For winter be the time of dying and rebirth;This utter joy be mixed with sadness;I pray the spring may come and wash away the hurt

Pause 16

Put sing Old woman gazes at the falling snow;She sits in her chair rocking to and fro;And though she knows the fire she should tend;She's content to sit and let her life here end

Pause 14

Put sing For she has lived these Oh so many years;Through days of laughter and through nights of tears;And now she hears a frosty voice entice;It reminds her of the tinkle of falling ice

Pause 14

Put sing So she sits back and shuts her rheumy eyes;And while she does the fire slowly dies;And all the aches and pains of life subside;As she invites the winter's touch to her inside

Pause 14

Put sing And the voice says...

Pause 3

Put sing This is the ending of your winter;You respected me and lived your life in peace;Come join your husband in my springtime;For in the end you have earned your blest surcease

Pause 16

Put sing And so ends the winter's tale;Within's a lesson you should avail;For though man is proud and hates to fail;It is always the winter that shall prevail

Pause 4

Put Bow

 

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