Instrumental summoning

Once upon a time and far, far away Over the seas where enchantments lay Once upon a time and far, far away Deep in the woods we will meet this day Walk with me and take my hand Learn the secrets within this land In the night the moon will shine Here, by the soul fires, hearts entwine

South of the Sun and North of the Moon come sit beside me and weave at my loom Glinder,* my dear, oh spin with me soon for the Good Folk are near by the bale and the boon West of the Wind and East of the Sea let the giddy grace flow to the root of the tree Some from afar and some from a dream many-coloured our hands, if we be who we glean Hey ho derry o! O’er sand or snow Bay, bushberry and pomegranate grow If we begin but a tale or a tune We can marry the Willow and Wattle forenoon South of the Sun and North of the Moon We can unleash our love like a gale on a schoon† song sung harp thrum bee stung pearl strung lake swum storm flung green thumb rain drum *Glinder: A verb I invented. A hybrid of glimmer, linger and mingle. Active musing. Fey hobnobbing. May involve ambling, meandering, roaming, flickering or weaving through a gathering. Its speed varies from lolling to darting in curiosity, whimsy and a dash of mischief.

 †Abbreviation of schooner, a small fishing boat

In a time of bards and chieftains, when the bright ones walked the land And beauty slipped from silver strings touched by a minstrel’s hand In a time when giants held the hills and stone circles rang with song And the Lia Fail stood in the soil and Tara’s walls stood strong. A man of the De Dannan, from a noble line was Lir His wife the daughter of Ireland’s king and four children he loved dear But Niamh his wife lost her life, in childbed she did pass And left four children filled with grief and Lir a broken heart The King he sent to Lir his second daughter as a bride And though she had a love for Lir no child could she abide For Aoife had a jealous heart and took them far from home To be rid of them for evermore and have the love of Lir alone. It was at the Lake of Oaks that it came to pass With the power of her druids’ wand a mighty spell she cast From now you’ll take the shape of swans, and wild birds you will be Nine hundred years will keep you on the lakes and on the sea And over the wild waves flew the children of Lir Down to the land of the ever living This spell was laid upon them for nine hundred years And till then there would be no returning In the first three hundred years you’ll be trapped upon this shore Then northward to the Sea of Moyle for yet three hundred more Then to the stormy Atlantic, the waters chill and deep And in the Bay of Eris waves will rock you as you sleep And when a queen from the South goes North to wed a king And when you first reach dry land and you hear a lone bell ring And when you find the lake of birds only then will you be free But until then this mighty curse will keep you far from me Across the winds of time the four swan children flew And for the next nine hundred years only gales and storms they knew Their beds were on the crest of waves and upon the rocky shore And they keened a sad lament for all that had gone before A new age dawned upon the land, strangers to the Isle had come Into the Hollow hills and mounds the Faerie folk had gone So to the lake of Birds they flew high on snowy wings To be free of the curse and hear a lone bell ring And like wind striping leaves from trees their swan bodies fell away Their sweet singing voices stilled all turned to dust and clay Blessings go with you Children of Lir beyond nine waves now fly And their spirits made a final flight against the fading sky. And over the wild waves flew the children of Lir Down to the land of the ever living This spell was laid upon them for nine hundred years And till then there would be no returning

Instrumental

Let blow the winds my bonnie lads come sail upon my sea Beware you of the angry wave that drives your ship to me Where the ocean boils and the current roils and the salty tides do flow I’ll await you in my chamber cool below, below, below She searches for treasures in the sand Along a ragged wave torn shore line Rusty comb and mirror in her hand Crystals on her lips of salty brine And through the chill twilight the sea-maid sings From the storm see what the cold tide brings She’ll offer you treasures from below But there’s darker things beneath the waves than you could ever know Let blow the winds my bonnie lads come sail upon my sea Beware you of the angry wave that drives your ship to me Where the ocean boils and the current roils and the salty tides do flow I’ll await you in my chamber cool below, below, below There’s a calling from the siren of the deep Her silver scales and lily-white breasts shining The secrets of Atlantis she will keep Veiled behind a smile that’s so beguiling May you catch the fair winds in your sails To steer far from tempest and from gales For that beauty with her face pale as the moon Will call you to rocks and see you to your doom Let blow the winds my bonnie lads come sail upon my sea Beware you of the angry wave that drives your ship to me Where the ocean boils and the current roils and the salty tides do flow I’ll await you in my chamber cool below, below, below ‘Tis a soulful song that journeys with the tide from land beneath the sea a cry of yearning Across the waves where wild, white horses ride Once cast adrift there can be no returning Now the sea-witch has you in her thrall She’s cast her spell, you’ve answered to the call Now watch your life dance before your eyes For below the sea you cannot breath and that’s where your fate now lies. Let blow the winds my bonnie lads come sail upon my sea Beware you of the angry wave that drives your ship to me Where the ocean boils and the current roils and the salty tides do flow I’ll await you in my chamber cool below, below, below

There is an isle of apples across the distant sea Encircled by white horses, forever riding free Pale and fragrant blossoms nod gently in the breeze Where music is enchanting so you may rest with ease Golden horses, silver chariots - racing for the sport Chances, and games to play, and treasures to be sought Crystal drops and dragon stones are hidden in the maze The green isle of apples awaits your longing gaze

Instrumental bridge

Once upon a time in a land beneath a dream Fountains learned the Song of a Faery sea Echoing laughter glimmering in their gleam Run, run an’ row to the City of Alderbee! Would you be an imp on the barge of a water-street? Sail into a shell with the memory of a leaf? Listen down, listen long, to the Lorelei of the Deep, Shimmer oh shingle, nymph an’ nixie ‘neath... From the waterfall to the lake of Antiquity Songpool flow, awaken Lemurian trees, Come, come along with the paladin of the free Can, can you hear the fountains of Alderbee?

Instrumental

Green shadows bow to the rising sun By the way the ancient track way runs Cool mist dances in the morning light And skips around the stones He walks upon the forest path The antlered one with oaken staff Stories lie where his feet pass Among the roots and rocks and bones The legend whispers through the leaves Visions in the sunlight weave The waking of the day reveals Where the magic lies On the threshold between the worlds he stands Guardian of these hidden lands The greenwood’s call at his command ‘tween water earth and sky Spirits of the wild the ancient folk Who dwell beneath the leafy cloak Of eucalypt red gum elm and oak And dance the shadowed pathway Hear the dreaming lines they sing In this realm of the woodland king You know the Green Man’s song will bring You through the sylvan doorway

Stony is her stair where brambles grow; Ponies wild and fair would pass by Gwyllion Lonely is her lair where horsemen lie; Eyes behind her hair is waiting Gwyllion: Dilly-bag bounty, carry the brain Billy or Tamlin - what was your name? Tig Tag Toe, and wouldn’t you know? Nimble my ride to ramble row!

Instrumental bridge

There lived a lady in the West Green the wood grows early Her name was Lady Liza Bell
Where the stag runs yearly The king he has a hunting gone
Green the wood grows early Left his lady all alone
Where the stag runs yearly The Elfin knight took out his dart Green the wood grows early Pierced poor Liza to the heart
Where the stag runs yearly When the king came home at noon
Green the wood grows early He asked for Lady Liza Bell
Where the stag runs yearly His nobles unto him they said Green the wood grows early She first was wounded now she's dead Where the stag runs yearly He’s away into the wood Green the wood grows early And there upon a stone he stood Where the stag runs yearly He sat there for seven years
Green the wood grows early ‘Till a company to him drew near Where the stag runs yearly Some did ride and some did run Green the wood grows early He saw his lady them among
Where the stag runs yearly The company then made their way
Green the wood grows early And He took out his harp to play
Where the stag runs yearly First he played the notes of Noy
Green the wood grows early And then he played the notes of Joy
Where the stag runs yearly Then he played the Gaber reel
Green the wood grows early That would make a sick heart heal Where the stag runs yearly The Elfin Knight to him did say
Green the wood grows early What shall I give thee for thy play? Where the stag runs yearly For my play I will thee tell
Green the wood grows early I'll have my Lady Liza Bell
Where the stag runs yearly You can take your lady home
Green the wood grows early And you'll be king of all you own Where the stag runs yearly

Instrumental

Instrumental bridge

In a ruby sunset 
 Hidden in the darkling leaves 
 The winds of night will take you 
Into a twilight dream 
 Step onto the old path 
 To where it may be leading 
 Flames leap to firing life 
Rising and receding 
 Beneath the cool earth 
 New life’s beginning 
 Cold of dark and warmth of light 
 The barrier is thinning 
 Glowing in the firelight 
 This magic place before us 
 Come dance and set your spirit free 
 Sing the long night’s chorus  
 Dance dance weave and spin 
 Do you know the place you’re in? 
 This is where it all begins  
In this land so wild and fae   
Come closer to the fire bright 
 Flames will give you second sight  
Welcome to this endless night  
For you’ve come to the land of faerie  
Dark strangers bid you welcome  
To the forest of your dreams 
 Time waits in stillness 
 And nothing’s as it seems 
 Come trace the labyrinth 
 Reality has ceased to be 
 A Rowan staff beats the time 
 And sings with energy 
 The night sighs deeply  
It has a secret to tell  
On a Jasmine scented breeze  
Her voice will weave the spell  
Her song will carve a rune 
 Her spirit will sing the rhyme 
 And with an endless rhythm 
You’ll dance the tune of time  Dance dance weave and spin 
 Do you know the place you’re in? 
 This is where it all begins  
In this land so wild and fae 
 Come closer to the fire bright 
 Flames will give you second sight 
 Welcome to this endless night 
 For you’ve come to the land of faerie  
 Sister of the greenwood 
 Of earth and sky 
 Spirits of the sacred grove  
This realm within you bide 
 The wild folk beat their drums 
 A call to the knowing 
 Dancing to the ancient beat  
Feel your wildness flowing 
 Weave the moon steal the stars  
Think not of morning 
 But now it’s time to sing you home 
 A new day is dawning 
 There’s only embers left 
 From the fire that stirred your soul 
 And the sylvan echo  
Of her voice from long ago Dance dance weave and spin 
 Do you know the place you’re in? 
 This is where it all begins 
In this land so wild and fae 
 Come closer to the fire bright 
 Flames will give you second sight  
Welcome to this endless night 
 For you’ve come to the land of faerie 

How now, o’ spirit! Whither wander you? Over thine hills, over yonder dale On through the bushes, on, on through the briar, Over park, over pale, Through flood, through fire I do wander I do wander everywhere Swifter than the Moon! (Yes, even the Orb’s sphere) Here … Hear … Bring your fey favours, loll in sweet sloth; Sleek Midnight savours, vapours of the broth Oberon blinks bees, passing fell an’ wrath - Hang a pearl in every ear! (Every dewy cowslip’s ear) There’s a changeling in the Moon, And your dream cat taps the Loom And she’s here, Black Djinn spins near And she’s far, Dancing with stars …

Instrumental bridge

Instrumental

Instrumental bridge

I’ve been hovering near the border drawn by Memory and Sound Ever near the Dreaming, calling Elfland: Alam al-Mithal, Alam al-Mithal, the Wind and Tallow Like a child with a treasure but no age nor wisdom to protect it - Rare as coral it was stolen, painted like a clown, abused and broken Now I hear and I obey! (the fear is at bay, the fear is at bay) For I catch the glimpses fey! (be not afraid, they say be not afraid) I’ll prepare to make my way! (the past is away, the past is away) Oh those hills have called me long and I must answer... Never far from the border, though the Realms are ebbing, still they hold me - Alam al-Mithal, Alam al-Mithal, the Dream is over

Once upon a time and far, far away Over the seas where enchantments lay