At the First Cleansing
The Preamble is sung from the First Ode.
At the Second Cleansing
The descent of Feiala.
Fair Feiala, ancient Priestess,
Star-born heir of mighty heroes
It was she who washed the corpses,
Washed the bodies of the champions,
Of the warriors over-eager.
Buried warriors over-eager,
Then when Fanhal, mighty monarch,
Went himself to challenge Orkon
She went deeper under Mountain
To the chambers, dark and ancient.
Down to chambers, dark and ancient,
Fair Feiala then descended
(While the battle raged above her)
Into caverns long-forgotten
Which were delved before the Children.
They were delved before the Children—
Ere the Children of the Water
Came to dwell on Ranhor’s Isle,
Or the hate of ancient Orkon
Blighted all the green things growing.
Those who delved them came before us—
Those who delved those ancient caverns.
No man knows them, no man names them,
But their eyes were hard upon her
When she walked those lightless tunnels.
In those deep and lightless tunnels
Fair Feiala met the Guardian,
In those deep and cold abysses
Where the fountains of the Waters
Churn and wait the Day of Breaking.
There until the Day of Breaking
Churning waters feed the rivers
Which the surface Under Starlight
Feed and water. Guardian slept there,
And his eye was on Feiala.
Bright his eye upon Feiala,
Long he watched her, long he brooded
On the Stone-kings who had fathered
Seven swan-folk, fell and ancient.
Feiala kept the oaths of Stone-kings.
At the Third Cleansing
The dialog of the Priestess and the Guardian.
“I have kept the oaths of Stone-kings.”
So the Priestess to the Guardian.
“I have blessed the flowing waters
From abysses upward springing.
Starlight lives within my waters.
“Starlight lives within my waters.
But the Guant Men, Orkon’s servants
Now endanger ancient waters,
Seek to seize the Shining Isle
You first loved, before the Children.”
“I first loved, before the Children,
This fair Island, and the waters
Of this Sea I called by my name
Long before proud Lanenomen
Came from Ocean, Heaven-guided.
“I was here before the Children,
I remain, not fearing Orkon,
Who from Middle-heaven falling
Has no right to rule these waters.
These lands belong to ancient Stone-kings.”
“These lands belong to ancient Stone-kings.
I have kept the prayers of Stone-kings,
Sung their songs beneath the Heavens,
Learned their names in Midnight’s shadow.
Come and aid your long-lost kinsman!
“Come, and aid your long-lost kinsman—
Fanhal, heir of Orusena,
He whom Stone-kings charged with rule—
Now he vies with Orkon’s malice
For the Sea you loved aforetime.”
“For the Sea I loved aforetime
I will aid him, distant kindsman,
I will sweep away the darkness
Which upon the Pleasant Isle
Swarms like vultures, seeking carrion.
“Then Feiala, ancient Priestess,
She will take the Egg of Wisdom
Which for ages I have guarded,
Take it to the Eastern Mountains,
Hide it there against the dragons.
At the Fourth Cleansing
The wrath of the Guardian.
“Hide it there against the dragons.”
Then in wrath the ancient Guardian
Swan-like rose from deepest slumber.
From his wings the South Wind blowing
Swept away the fleet of Orkon.
Far away the South Wind swept them,
Swept the black-sailed ships of Orkon
Into mist-wreathed rocky islands
On the jagged coast of Moorlands.
Ships were dashed to jagged splinters.
Ships were dashed to jagged splinters.
Then the Guardian of the waters
Opened wide his shining swanbill.
Like a torrent, mighty waters
Rose with Guardians’ sounding trumpet.
High with Guardian’s sounding trumpet
Waters rose to cleanse the Island,
Drowned the servants of the Darkness.,
Drove them howling to the waters,
Mawish fled, and Orkon trembled.
Mawish fled, and Orkon trembled.
Might Fanhal then withstood him,
Gave him battle on the Island,
Raised Hurorupeim the Shining,
Sent him fleeing from the Isle.
At the Cleansing of the People
The flight of Orkon.
Bat-like fleeing from the Island,
Orkon foundered in the heavens
When a ray of shining Eibram
Dazzled eyelids made for darkness.
Laran, archer, shot an arrow.
Laran, archer, winged an arrow,
Wounded Orkon, well men praised it!
So was Fanhal, Son of Sencan,
Son of Thoranrai the Lovely,
So was Fanhal then delivered.
Fair Feiala, ancient priestess,
Took the ancient Egg of Wisdom
To the Mountains, Eastward standing
Guard above the Sea of Sand-dunes.
Laran loved her, long he sought her.
Laran loved her, long he sought her,
But she came not to the Isle
Until memory forgot her,
Until none who once had known her
Vigil kept on Ranhor’s Isle.
Vigil yet on Ranhor’s Isle
Men still keep, ne’er forgetting
Orkon’s malice, and the danger
Safety carries: strong delusion,
Careless rest will bring our downfall.
Let us keep the ancient vigil,
Keep our watch upon the Waters.
Let us search for precious wisdom
Hid within the cunning verses
Fair Feiala sang to guide us.
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