XII. The First Lament: Of Sanur

Which at the funeral service is sung by the Priestess and the People.

The First Ode, which is sung by the Priestess.

Sanur mighty, famed for warfare
Laid his brothers in a barrow,
Laid them there amid the Stone-kings,
Laid them there on heaps of treasure
Long ago, with many sorrows.

Sanur lay them clad in mail-shirts,
Set bright rings upon their fingers.
There the treasures of the barrow
Sanur gave into their keeping
In the hall of ancient Stone-kings.

There beneath the ancient shining
Stars which long ago did glimmer
Sanur lay his mighty brothers:
Bold Setela, famed for hunting;
Teithbor, hardy battle-lion.

Sanur sang this song above them:

The Second Ode, which is sung by the First Mourner. The invocation of the Winds.

“Heark ye winds, blowing coldly,
Hear this Son of Sky and Water:
Do not harm, if you should meet them,
Mighty sons of Sad Nanalon.

“Let them pass through howling wastelands—
Let them find the endless stairway
Leading down to where, forgotten,
Ancient heroes wait for judgment.
Do not drive their spirits cruelly.

“Not forgotten are these heroes.
Ever we their names remember
Who this world of tears and sorrow
Fill with songs of mighty conquests.
Spread their fame, ye ancient storm-gales.

The Third Ode, which is sung by the Second Mourner. The invocation of the Mountains.

“Hark ye mountains, proud and ancient!
Stand as witness to their valor,
Who in constancy and friendship
Well upheld the name of Sencan,
Well deserved a hero’s burial.

“Do not hinder, mighty mountains,
Do not bar the way their spirits
Take to find the endless Chasm
Where the souls of dead men wander
Waiting for the Day of Judgment.

“Stand as monument, O mountains,
To the might of Sencan’s offspring:
These two sons of Old Nanalon
Bitter Fate has claimed unbidden.
Let their names be long remembered.

The Fourth Ode, which is sung by the Third Mourner. The invocation of the Rivers.

“Hark ye rivers, wide and flowing,
Do not bar their passage o’er you.
These great-hearted men of valor
Bear the friendship of all waters.
Rather bear their fame undying.

“Bear to Southlands, hot and sun-scorched,
Where the high and craggy mountains
Darkly loom o’er ancient monarchs
Lying silent under granite.
Tell the ancient kings their valor.

“Bear it Westward, mighty rivers,
To the lands of ancient giants
Tall and lovely, proud and cruel,
Tell them of the might of mankind,
Of these sons of sky and water.

The Fifth Ode, which is sung by the Fourth Morner. The invocation of the Mighty Dead.

“Hark, ye dead! For now among you
Great souls dwell and bring you honor,
Great souls swell the waiting legions,
Waiting for the day of judgment:
Mighty Teithbor, Bold Setela.

“May the One who all things judges
Find them worthy, rest to enter:
They who never slew a kinsman,
Never struck in needless anger,
Always honored ancient fathers.

“Testify, O ancient fathers
How these sons of sad Nanalon
For the honor of their father—
For the throne of Holy Sencan—
Went to war, and fell in darkness.

"Long they languished under mountains.
Long they suffered wordless torments.
Testify, O ancient fathers,
Witness bear to what they suffered.
Let them find in death a solace.

The Sixth Ode, which is sung by the Priestess. The invocation of the Gates of Silver.

“Hark! Ye mighty gates of silver!
Ye who stand and bar the stairway
Which from gloom and twilight leads up—
Up to where the righteous heroes
Dwell beside the holy poets.

“Open wide and let them enter,
Those who now lay with the Stone-kings.
They have kept the ancient promise,
They fulfilled the oaths completely,
Never turned from death or duty.

“Open wide and let them enter
So that in the World of Starlight
Men may rightly speak of justice,
Rightly praise the blood of heroes
Shed for love of kin and country.

The Seventh Ode, which is sung by all.

“Now ye storm-gales, coldly blowing,
Now ye mountains, proud and ancient,
Now ye rivers, widely flowing,
Now ye dead and ancient fathers,
Now ye gates of shining silver,

“All ye hear my song of sorrow.
Do not let these mighty warriors,
Sons of kings and sky and water,
Ever go down into darkness.
Let their names endure forever.

The Eighth Ode, which is sung by the Priestess.

“Nankeinala, Mighty Maker,
You who gave unto our fathers
Land and lordship, sky and water,
Evermore their names remember,
Though this world of tears shall end.”

So sang Sanur, mighty-hearted,
Then they closed the Hall of Stone-kings;
Then they sealed the ancient barrow,
Laid those princes down in splendor.
Sanur wept, and sang no longer.