Songs and Poems

(See also: Lullabies)

Eldritch

"Traditional Eldritch narratives had been intended as oral histories, and the most important used one of three major poetic structures. Few rhymed, but all expected specific meter and the use of a body of imagery enshrined by prior epics. The custom of declaiming the histories had fallen away with the generation that had fought chimeras, and later Corel, but the old stories remained popular as entertainments."

• The book from which Lisinthir Nase Galare first taught the Queen Ransomed the Universal language and Eldritch stories was in fact a book of songs; from context, probably narrative songs like ballads.

• Solanth recites "The Star-Crowned Huntress" in the harem, which tells "of the maiden Risaliel and her affianced lord, Shorethenian..."

• When Lisinthir returns to Escutcheon for the birth of his heir, events call to public mind the folktale of the servant girl Mina, who freed a unicorn from a snare set by her lord, and was transformed into a unicorn to save her from his wrath. The story is associated with the lily, as a symbol of transformation.

• Jahir's "musician's ear had been sufficient to draft the story [of Oviin], and after that he'd submitted his effort to a priest who specialized in the study of lyric narrative." The result was nearly forty minutes long, and at the foot of the newly-installed monument, Jahir recited the work from memory, with tears running down his cheeks.

     Draw nigh
     and hear this true tale
     which I witnessed with mine own eye
     for I was there
     when the blood ran dark 
     and the tears long
     and all the stars turned away in fear.

Gledig

Unnamed song, sung by Carey as an identification to Svetlana Karishenikov:

	The moon went away on that casual day, 
	determined to drink all the leavings. 
	So it was no surprise when at day’s demise 
	the moon was asleep past the evening; 
	the moon was asleep past the evening.