Songs of the Grey Herds

Songs of the Grey Herds

Compiled by Aung of Lettine

Far to the west, beyond our golden jewels of the sea, east of the lands of Tsae and Kudhir, north of the Tiger Lands and south of the Demon-Oxen and their peaks, lie the rolling plains of O-Keffer.

Like our own glimmering sea, Erizamar rolls on for eternity beyond the eye. Yet these hills are poorly charted. Kafri care little for the voracious carving of lines upon the sky.

Captains of the isled East have long traded with the O-Keffer for wool and handcrafts. But I ventured forth with our bounty of drink, furnishings, and books, to trade not for sundries, but for song.

The songs I gathered from the people of O-Keffer are recounted below. Doubtless some of their character is lost as lyrics on page.

PLAINS OF GREEN

A simple song for work in the great grass fields

O tree o grass o tree o grass

move young lambs and clip the green

O tree o grass o tree o grass

move young lambs lest clip goes your tail

O tree o grass o tree o grass

MOTHER O-KEFFER

An important religious song sung over fires late at night. While listening, my compatriot was beaten over the head with a soup ladle for daring to interrupt with a cough.

Mother of many, mother of ours

Of blue sky of howling wind, mother lead us

of blue sky of howling wind, mother lead us

Mother of many, feeder of many

Lead us to pastures of green shrub, mother lead us

Lead us to pastures of living grass, mother lead us

Mother of many, leader of many

Run through the snake the tiger, mother lead us

Run through the ox the dragon, mother lead us

Mother of many, mother of ours

Of blue sky of howling wind, mother leave us

Of blue sky of howling wind, mother let us run free

OOAAMM

THE CENSUS

A song for counting the herd. The song begins anew after every cycle of ten.

One two three yell my children

four five six yell my children

seven eight nine yell my children

we are ten we are ten we can go again

BROTHER KUDHIR

A song about the horse-folk, who are now lost.

Prance and gallop, prance and gallop

So fast the brother Kudhir runs

Prance and gallop, prance and gallop

So fast the brother Kudhir talks

Prance and gallop, prance and gallop

So far the brother Kudhir runs

Prance and gallop, prance and gallop

So dumb, so dumb, so dumb, so dumb

Spare your legs, O brother Kudhir!

GOLDHORN AND BLACKWOOL

An extremely simple chant of a song sung during a slow and grueling duel our party witnessed, sung with such enthusiasm that some of the young fainted from repeating it. It ended when one of the duelists fell to the ground bleeding and exhausted, followed by thundering applause and the religious signal moan.

Horns of gold and wool of black!

Horns of gold, wool of black!

Time for honor, time for death!

Horns of gold and wool of black!

Horns of gold, wool of black!

OOAAMM

DARK ODTSETSEG AND THE HORNS OF MORNING

An important historical and cultural myth sung to us by an elder of the herd.

When sky mated land, she was not yet born

An omen of starlight, dark and spiteful landed on tent's form

Odtsetseg of night, of star and of sick omen

O-Odtsetseg taker of many, O-Odtsetseg unforgiven in kind

To pastures many she guided them

Her children many, ignorant of her scorn

Odtsetseg betrayer of all, dark of soul, darker of mind

O-Odtsetseg taker of many,O-Odtsetseg vile and unruly

To cliffs of old lands she strode, strode to, calmly followed by her children's plight

At cliffs of old she stopped, encouraging lamb to flight

O-Odtsetseg murderer of children, destroyer of all our light

O-Odtsetseg taker of many, monster of our time

Lamb of many children, lamb of light

Them who survived Odtsetseg’s flight

Climbing cliff and rock, half his hooves a-shaking

O-Odtsetseg taker of many, O-Odtsetseg fated for doom long deserved

Young horns of gold, shone in morning's bright

Horns of morning, young lamb of light

Cast down the evil, implored Odtsetseg, cast her down the flight

O-Odtsetseg taker of many, O-Odtsetseg unforgiven in kind, O-Odtsetseg vile and unruly, O-Odtsetseg monster of our time, O-Odtsetseg fated for doom long deserved, O-Odtsetseg may you never return

OOAAMM

SONG OF DIRECTIONS

A song of curses not done in religious rites, but in a drunken stupor by many older Kafri jumping around a fire in the night. We dared not comment on the minor slight against our people, for the High Scape of the herd drew his blade while dancing.

Northwind blows down my tent

O-ho!

Northwind blows like the demon blows thine kin

O-ho!

Northwind smells foul like demons mother's flow

O-ho!

To this I raise, to this I raise

O-ho!

Eastwind blows in my ear

O-ho!

Eastwind blows like the cat's groans

O-ho!

Eastwind twind sounds like the pig who squeals at the tiger umm

O-ho!

To this I raise, to this I raise

O-ho!

Southwind blows my hooves a worm

O-ho!

Southwind blows treats of sea a-many

O-ho!

Southwind tastes as a monkey groans

O-ho!

To this I raise, to this I raise

O-ho!

Westwind blows, it really blows

O-ho!

Westwind blows, oh it blows

O-ho!

Westwind blows, O it really blows

O-ho! O-ho! O-ho!

To this I raise, to this I raise, to this I raise, O-ho!

O-HO!

DRAGON'S WINGS

A famous song about the hardships of Kafri life, sung to us lazily by a herd guard since we could not encounter the proper occasion.

Cloven one forth, cloven two forth

Pack pack pack pack

Cloven one forth, cloven two forth

Run run run run

Cloven one forth, cloven two forth

Snake, dragon, tiger, beast!

WEIRD GOAT OF THE SOUTH

As we departed, one of the young Kafri men wanted to present to us this song about our people, which we implore you to read in jest, for it was given in good spirits.

Orange and lanky, orange and lanky!

An ewe of ill proportion! Yet it moves so much?

Orange and lanky, orange and cranky!

It eats no trees, no grass? Yet it knows so much?

Orange and lanky, orange and lanky!

He swings his wrist all day! Yet he works so little?

Orange and lanky, orange and cracky!

The weird goat of the south returns The goat of Mo, the goat of Mo!

O ho!