All night by the rose rose, All night by the rose I lay, Darf ich noght the rose stele, And yet ich bar the flour away All night by the rose the rose, All night by the rose I lay, Dare I not the flower to steal, And yet I bare the flower away

In the fertile lands by the northern sea Roll the fields of Fair An Tir Our people dance midst the evergreens And sing of Fair An Tir Come sing, good gentles, this humble song And raise your glass in good cheer And long may we taste the sweet bounty Of the lands of Fair An Tir Our babes are hushed by the song of rain As they sleep in Fair An Tir Our lovers blush and sing their sweet refrains Midst the flowers of fair An Tir Come sing, good gentles, this humble song And raise your glass in good cheer And long may we taste the sweet bounty Of the lands of Fair An Tir And we are they who like torches light the way For the future of Fair An Tir Who create by night and defend by day For the honor of Fair An Tir Come sing, good gentles, this humble song And raise your glass in good cheer And long may we taste the sweet bounty Of the lands of Fair An Tir Come all good gentles and raise your glass And sing out loud in good cheer And long may we taste the sweet bounty Of the lands of Fair An Tir

You were such a vision, all fresh and fey a being otherworldly and bright, and I was starry-eyed and starstruck when you smiled to me at the county fair Dark eyes, rosy cheeks, and my heart was ensnared As the little blue ribbon tied up in your raven hair and I spun around like a curl falling down from there, I had barely a chance to catch your eye that night at the dance when you passed me by I shivered, I cowered and I hid. You danced the whole night with a partner or two And I sat too shyly the whole night through But oh, how I wanted to be the one spinning you. And kiss your lips as sweet as honeydew Oh woe for such cowardice as mine I’d gladly take your hand If time hands me a next time Then you caught my eye and you smiled to me, that sweet girlish charm so innocently “Come and dance,” you said, took my hand and we split the air and we spun around without a care At the end of the night, I had to leave you there For at dawn I would sail the emerald sea, You swore you would keep the the image of me In a locket, with a lock of my hair Tied up in a bow with a ribbon of blue To keep and to cherish and always be true, And someday I’ll return back home to your side. We’ll be married then and I’ll make you a summer bride. Oh woe for such heartache as mine But I’ll gladly take your hand for mine if time hands me a next time 12 months to the day, I returned to your shore And at that old fair you asked on the dance floor, Could I stay a spell, maybe I would like The weather in summer, the apples so sweet Your hand on my waist, and no more of these fleeting Embraces. And your words were so sincere. But there’s not work enough for a bard like me here. Oh woe for such foolishness as mine But I’d gladly take your hand in mine If time hands me a next time. Time hand me a next time Now I’ve come back in summer to make you my bride Saying, “Travel along with me and stay by my side And I love you exactly as you are. We’ll come and we’ll go and we’ll see every shore And hear every song that we’ve not heard before And sing our way from land to land. For I’m happiest when I hold your hand. So I’ll tie a blue ribbon in your raven hair I’ll marry you at that old county fair And you’ll kiss me, and I will love you In fall and in winter, in summer and spring I’ll bring the wildflowers and you’ll bring the ring, And we’ll split the air and dance til evening tide And forever you will be my summer bride And forever you will be my summer bride

Oh for such happiness as mine
I’ll gladly take your hand in mine
Each time hands me a next time
And may there always be a next time

I'm not a fighter, just a silly songwriter Armor never suited me I'd rather spend my time by the fire With a full glass and glad company But there's a whiskey-eyed lass I admire Whose sword and spirit are free Her strength and skill doth truly inspire And I wish she could teach them to me And oh to put on your helm To carry your sword and shield and defend all the ones that I love To carry your war cry o'er the sea Love, that would be music to me A bard's not a bard without someone to hear The words that fall on the wind To speak of the worth of a lady like you My pen could never begin And oh, to walk by your side, To hear through your ears the songs I'd thought were tired and old To hear them again as I meant them to be Love, that is music to me You say with a sigh you've no music inside, But the sound of your voice is a song Your strength and skill are a symphony The air around sings along Bard or bard-adjacent, your place is secured As music and muse all in one You create your melody When you sing or inspire a song And oh, to glow like a fire To give that light back to everyone you meet The quiet intensity of the sea Love, you are music to me And oh, to glow like a fire To give that light back to everyone you meet The quiet intensity of the sea Love, you are music to me Love, you are music to me

Mani, you cross o’er the starry night’s sky Far faster than the fleetest of ships But faster yet was my parting sigh At the last touch of my love’s lips They rise with Sol’s light as it sweeps o’er east While I in the West am still abed And when comes the night to give them their ease Still am I about my day instead So Mani take me with you When you see my love tonight. I can no longer hold them So enfold them in your light. They live far in my future, And I'm always in their past. So Mani Bright Mani, take me with you So I may hold my love at last. In summer we walked, ‘neath your silvery gaze They said that my songs could call down the moon But Autumn’s embrace sent us both on our ways And tore us apart too soon, too soon They rise with Sol’s light as it sweeps o’er the east They wish me good night as they rise from bed While I in the West go to seek my own sleep And wake when your silver light’s o’er their bed So Mani take me with you When you see my love tonight. I can no longer hold them So enfold them in your light. They live far in my future, And I'm always in their past. So Mani Bright Mani, take me with you So I may hold my love at last. Bright Mani, I beg you to come to my aid, Help me to cross this ocean of time, That I may see my lover’s face By light of day and dark of night I’ll rise with Sol’s light as it sweeps o’er the East If you’ll take me to that faraway shore And at night, by your light, I will find my peace In the arms of my love once more, There in the arms of my love once more So Mani take me with you When you see my love tonight. I can no longer hold them So enfold them in your light. They live far in my future, And I'm always in their past. So Mani Bright Mani, take me with you Please So I may hold my love at last.

My Mother's Savage Daughter words/music c.1990 k.l. u. kahan Chorus: I am my mother's savage daughter, the one who runs barefoot cursing sharp stones. I am my mother's savage daughter, I will not cut my hair, I will not lower my voice. My mother's child is a savage, She looks for her omens in the colors of stones, In the faces of cats, in the fall of feathers, In the dancing of fire and the curve of old bones. (Chorus) My mother's child dances in darkness, And sings heathen songs by the light of the moon, And watches the stars and renames the planets, And dreams she can reach them with a song and a broom. (Chorus) My mother's child curses too loud and too often, My mother's child laughs too hard and too long, And howls at the moon and sleeps in ditches, And clumsily raises her voice in this song. (Chorus) Now we all are brought forth out of darkness and water, Brought into this world through blood and through pain, And deep in our bones, the old songs are wakening, So sing them with voices of thunder and rain. (Chorus x3) We are our mother's savage daughters, The ones who run barefoot cursing sharp stones. We are our mother's savage daughters, We will not cut our hair, We will not lower our voice credits

Am C I’m out on my own, on the road in the night, F Am And a daft bard am I to be so Am C But I can’t find the village I’d had in my sight F Am As the sun sank behind the trees so long ago Nothing to account for the rustling I hear No glowing red eyes in the night But a voice seems to whisper of things dark and sinister Somewhere behind me and just out of sight F Am But there’s Nothing to fear in the dark G Am There’s Nothing to fear, but I fear it oh, F Am There’s Nothing to fear in the dark E Don’t leave the fire’s glow Tis then I start humming, set my strings to strumming, Tamp down the unease filling me. Don’t let my mind linger, lest this frightened singer Give rise in the night to the things she can’t see Am C The snap of a branch, then the crunch of a leaf F Am I gasp in such fear that I freeze Am C My heart it is racing, I’m frozen and facing F Am Some manner of mischief glide out from the trees F Am There’s Nothing to fear in the dark G Am There’s Nothing to fear, and I fear it oh, F Am There’s Nothing to fear in the dark E Don’t leave the fire’s glow Am C A figure so pale, from the shadows unraveling F Am Clad in a white flowing gown Am And lights at a head’s height, C at eye height, as I frighten F Am further and feel myself fall to the ground, And clutching my lute, that last bastion of sanity, I try to break free from this spell And eyes closed and trembling, I whisper the words That up til this moment have served me so well There’s Nothing to fear in the dark There’s Nothing to fear, but I fear it oh, There’s the Nothing to fear in the dark Don’t leave the fire’s glow “Put down your instrument,” coos a soft voice, “And come have a dance in the night And should you join me and dance through to the morning, I’ll set your course straight at the first ray of light.” I open my eyes, meet a gaze sad and hopeful, I find I cannot look away And before I can stop, I’ve laid my hand on top of hers We dance through the night til the coming of day There’s Nothing to fear in the dark There’s Nothing to fear, but I fear it oh, There’s the Nothing to fear in the dark Don’t leave the fire’s glow, There’s music about us as I never have heard And the maid in my arms is so fair We spin through the woods on the breath of the wind But when dawn came I stand alone, no one else there I call out around me and search for the lady But no sign of her flowing white gown But on the edge of the road is my lute and my bedroll And just a bit further, I can see the town
 There’s Nothing to fear in the dark There’s Nothing to fear, but I fear it oh, There’s the Nothing to fear in the dark Don’t leave the fire’s glow And now I’ll continue to wander my path But I know I will never be free For though my refusal would have summoned her wrath It never is wisdom to dance with the sidhe The dance of the maiden is all my obsession, Her fleet-footed form spinning round I hear her strange music whenever the night falls, But try as I might, I cannot write it down There’s Nothing to fear in the dark There’s Nothing to fear, but I fear it oh, There’s the Nothing to fear in the dark Don’t leave the fire’s glow

tween march and april the rain cometh with spring the birds all in their nature sing I live in love-longing for comeliest queen bliss she brings to me An hendy hap ich habbe yhent, Ichoot from hevene it is me sent: From alle wommen my love is lent, And light on Alisoun. Her hair is fair her eyes are black in loving cheer she with me laughs unless she should take me to be her own I’ll give up my will to live An hendy hap ich habbe yhent, Ichoot from hevene it is me sent: From alle wommen my love is lent, And light on Alisoun. At night I toss I turn and wake With longing lady all for your sake there is no man with skill enough that all her beauty could tell An hendy hap ich habbe yhent, Ichoot from hevene it is me sent: From alle wommen my love is lent, And light on Alisoun. I’m worn out with lying awake for love as weary as troubled water below Unless one should take my love from me anxious have I been An hendy hap ich habbe yhent, Ichoot from hevene it is me sent: From alle wommen my love is lent, And light on Alisoun. But best suffer greatly for so short a time than live forever without you by my side O kindest of maidens, hear my song be mine forever more An hendy hap ich habbe yhent, Ichoot from hevene it is me sent: From alle wommen my love is lent, And light on Alisoun. A happy fortune has come to me I know it is by Fate's decree From all other maidens my love must flee And light on Alisoun

Alas, my one true love is gone Alas, we said goodbye at dawn. And the last that I saw was his golden sunlit hair And my tears, they fell for the one so fair. Alas, my one true love is gone, He is gone My love, I cannot say goodbye, My love, with all my heart I cry, For beneath this cold earth an eternity you sleep, And without you, alone, I am left to weep My love, My one true love is gone he is gone. Beyond hills, where we held hands and walked Beyond lakes, where we laughed and talked Are the fields of a war laid fellow and stained red From the young and the loved and the promised to be wed Beyond my one true love is gone He is gone. I weep love, to be held in your arms I weep wanting you back unharmed But the wind blows cold where once we lived and play And a soul once alive whispers far far away My love My one true love is gone. He is gone. I come love, to be with only you I come with my dagger true Through a heart filled with love that aches for you no more And now lays at peace with the one true love adored. My love My one true love is here. He is here.

When you rest in peaceful sleep, Where is it you go? In your world of slumber deep, Tell me and I will follow O'er the sea that has no end, no end O'er eternity to you my heart does bend Do the trees of far-off lands Call you through the veil Silver waters, crystal sands Where is it you sail? O'er the sea that has no end, no end O'er eternity to you my heart does bend

<<hummed melody>>
 O'er the sea that has no end, no end O'er eternity to you my heart does bend When you rest in peaceful sleep, Where is it you go? In your world of slumber deep, Tell me and I will follow

There’s a place at the end of the world 
Where you’ll find yourself time and again
 And the music is finer than any around And it’s called the Beggar’s Inn 

So everyone dane and be merry
 And fill your cup to the brim
 And bring your stories and bring your songs
 Along to the Beggar’s Inn

 The dancers all look so pretty
I n this totally not-den-of-sin
 And they’ll ply you with smiles and ply you with drinks 
From the moment you stumble in So everyone dane and be merry 
And fill your cup to the brim 
And bring your stories and bring your songs 
Along to the Beggar’s Inn 

Your cup will never You’ll be begging for more bakers choice And whether fencer or brewer or beggar or bard 
With old smuggler you’ll find your voice So everyone dane and be merry 
And fill your cup to the brim
 And bring your stories and bring your songs 
Along to the Beggar’s Inn The inn's filled with music and laughter And will sing to the edge of dawn And when we are too drunk to beg anymore Then it’s time to stumble on But we know we will be back again next year To drink and to dance and to sing But the night is still young, raise your cup carry on And let your voices ring

 So everyone dane and be merry 
And fill your cup to the brim 
And bring your stories and bring your songs
 Along to the Beggar’s Inn

 So everyone dane and be merry 
And fill your cup to the brim 
And bring your stories and bring your songs 
Along to the Beggar’s Inn

Well I am a singer G And a teller of tales Am F And my songs often lead me away C To far distant lands G Through each village and glen Am But never long do I stay C For I always crave the freedom G Of the wide open roads Am F That lead to the edge of beyond C But when I first heard your voice G And saw the spark in your eyes Am F My heart started drumming your song CHORUS Am Song calls to song F Heart calls to heart C G And so the stories do say C And though our fortunes F May keep us apart C Your song will be with me G G G C Every step of the way. V2 I’ve been to Potrero To Great West and Estrella, And I’ve been to a Pennsic or two I’ve made friends on the way, But never wished I could stay That changed the day I first heard you The flint in your smile struck my steel defenses It kindled my spirit ablaze And though my travels again May part hand from hand My heart will number the days Til I find your embrace V3 I’m not oft the writer Of a lighthearted song But your laughter lights up the dark nights And when I’m out on the trails, And my confidence fails, Your faith helps me fight the good fight Now when I write a song, I’ll sing it for you, Wherever my travels do go With my lute and my voice, Together with yours, And whenever we meet on the road Whenever we meet on the road And when I can't hold you close You're close my heart And I will hold you someday And though our fortunes do keep us apart Your song will be with me every step of the way Your song is with me every step of the way.

Come to me my love-o Come to me my dear Hear my song, let it lead you And you'll never know pain or fear Here in my home you'll lie with me Here in my home you'll remain Hear my song, let it lead you And you'll never know fear or pain Come closer love, closer to me Come closer love, I am here, Hear my song, let it lead you And you'll never know pain or fear Never again you'll be lonesome Never again shed a tear Hear my song, let it lead you And you'll never know pain or fear And you'll never know pain or fear Never know pain or fear

At the time when King Arthur reigned There was a much-beloved knight
 Sir Melion with his courtly grace Served his king with great pride He married the daughter of Ireland’s king. They lived happily for three years She bore him sons and brought him joy, But woe, she brought him tears. One day in summer the knight wished to hunt And brought both his wife and his squire They chased their hounds as away they sped Til they began to tire While resting in a forest glade, a rustling came from the trees The lady saw in a thicketed shade The grandest stag e’er seen 
 She said, “Never have I seen its match Graceful, noble, strong and true I’ll surely die should you not catch This stag you see before you, My life, oh love, will be through.” “Oh precious Wife,” Sir Melion said, “I beg you, please do not cry.
See this ring upon my hand, And let your tears run dry. With two fine stones this ring is set One ruby red, and one white. 
No simple ring is this my love, Now witness its great might:

Should I strip out of my clothes and shoes and stand here naked instead Take this ring and place the white stone Upon the crown of my head A beastly wolf I shall become A hunter of great might, And I will chase this stag for you And slay it on this night. He said, “Never have I told of this Without this ring, a wolf I stay Man no more both night and day, My lover, my wife, be true. And I’ll bring down this stag for you.” Oh Melion, what have you done? Oh knight, I pity you well. For as you hunt in the forest tonight, Your wife has this secret I’ll tell:
Away with your squire, she runs from the glade, Kissing with mirth and delight As back to her kingdom in Ireland she makes With no heed to your plight. So Melion traveled to Ireland’s shore To find the false love he had wed When through the woods came a line of knights, King Arthur at their head
Though Melion could no longer speak He took his fate in his hands, Went straight to Arthur and laid at his feet And would not rise again. Never had Arthur seen such a sight Said he, “This wolf belongs to me If any would harm him, then punished they’ll be This wolf shall stay by my side, Now onwards we will ride.”

 So at his King’s stirrups the wolf kept apace Matching the horse’s each stride. 
The king of Ireland, for Arthur prepared A feast of which none know the likes
But Lo! In the back of the room stood the man Who had stolen Sir Melion’s wife! And Melion ran at the squire with all haste And sought to end his life.

The armed men of Ireland drew out their swords And attempted the wolf to slay, But King Arthur shouted, “This wolf it is mine! You shall not harm him I say!
If this wolf did not hate you, he never would strike. 
For his manner is gentle, you see. 
So tell me oh squire, and do not dare lie.
What you have done to he? “Never did I mean him harm,” The squire wailed, but confessed the whole plot.
Arthur demanded the princess be brought To speak before the king
Along with Melion’s ring. 
The fair princess of Ireland Came shaking before Arthur’s might. She gave the ring and begged for her life And then was removed from his sight. And to private chambers was Melion brought. The ring was touched to his brow. Restored once more to the form of a man And at Arthur’s feet fell down Rise, Sir Melion and be not ashamed This trick was played upon you. 
And King Arthur called for the princess again And asked Melion what he would do
Shall she be beaten, or shall she be slain? For your revenge is deserved
But say the word and your will carried out What shall be done with her? And Melion cried, Never Shall I lay my eyes On this viper e’er again Save our sons, you’d suffer as I And ne’er be human again.
Now ne’er shall we meet again
 Thus end the tale of Sir Melion, A gentle and courtly knight For though his kindness and love were betrayed Yet still he spared her life. 
I swear by my lute that this song, it is true For so the bards have said. All hail the tale of Sir Melion, A knight both wolf and man.
His grace is matched by none Sir Melion

G D C Oh darling fair, Oh love of mine, G D C Won't you sit a while And pass the time G D C D For I am grown weary Of the wanderer’s way G D C D C And now I’ve found a place I’d like to stay C D G D C And your hand fits so well with mine C D G C And our hearts are beating close in time C D G D Em And there is nowhere I would rather be C D G Than singing neath the starlight with you G D C D Oh love of mine, Oh darling fair, G D C D Oh how I treasure each song we share G D C D And the way you smile when you sing to me G D C D When I’m with you, music flows so easily C D G D C And your hand fits so well with mine C D G C And our hearts are beating close in time C D G D Em And there is nowhere I would rather be C D G Than singing neath the starlight with you