Karelea's Song

Now, the Baron of the East March's fair sorceress daughter Was enamored, unseemly with the fool of her Lord. Now her Duke was deemed handsome, he'd a soul vain and petty And a dark mind as empty as last summer's gourd.

And the fool, he was clever and he sang for the Lady Like a nightingale piping in a deep forest grove. But his station was lowly and his body was aging And their love was as helpless as if he were stone.

So the Lady has led them, the fool and her husband To her cool secret garden by the mid summer's moon And she's dance them a spell there of shifting and changing And left them dumbfounded by sorcery's boon.

She has left the fool crying to the gods of his fathers' She has led her Duke laughing to her high chamber door. And she's kept him there softly for two days bright dawnings While the servants all gossiped in wonder and awe.

Now, the fool died in madness, saying he was ensorceled And the Duke only smiled him a sad secret smile. Now, the Duke rules his people in wit and good humor And he sings for his Lady like the nightingale's' song.

And she's born him five children, two sons and three daughters And they've grown straight and handsome and sorcerers all. And they dance in the garden and sing in the moonlight Like nightingale's singing in a green forest hall.