Snow Magic: Long ago in Mother Russia, where the human kind were few, Many of the woodland creatures spoke and lived as humans do. Wisest of them knew Snow Magic, tigers, bears, and all the rest; But among four-footed kindred white wolves knew it best. In the forests of the North Land, where light curtains dance at night, Lived a warrior named Alexi; he was young and fair and bright. Many maidens sighed to see him, but Alexi dwelled alone. Though they did their best to please him , to their charms he was as stone. Then one day within the forest , young Alexi passing there, Met a maiden like no other. She was tall and proud and fair. Hair as pale as virgin snowdrifts, eyes like ice with hidden fire. From the moment that he saw her, he was stricken with desire. Young Alexi, proud Alexi, There is magic in the snow! There is peril in the forest, Hiding more than you can know! To Alexi's amaze and gladness his pale maid loved him in return. He found she would deny him nothing, but her past he could not learn. Nor would she once leave the forest, back to his own village go. Said she feared the touch of strangers, could not leave the peaceful snow. Nor would she let him stay past moonrise, no matter what her love would say, But with tears and soft entreaties sent him homewards on his way. Enemies had young Alexi, one of them a cunning foe. Noted where he spent his hours, laid an ambush in the snow. "Oh my love and life, Alexi, Leave while light is in the sky! There is danger in the forest; Go and do not ask me why!" Young Alexi, strong Alexi, laughed away his lover's fear. And he did not leave till darkness, and behind him he could hear: The sound of wolves that stalked his footsteps. Then before him he could see Men who sprang out in an ambush and his mortal enemy. He was one against too many, but ere they could raise a sword, Wolves appeared and leapt upon them , like a great avenging horde. Wolves lead by a silver bitch-queen, fur as white and soft as snow. And Alexi, much astonished, watched his enemies laid low. "Oh Alexi, my Alexi, Why were you so bold and proud? Why did you not heed the warning That I dared not speak aloud?" And the wolf-bitch faced Alexi, men's blood stained her white fur red. And before he drew one breath , his lover stood in wolfling stead. "Long I've loved you, with Snow Magic, to weave spell with just one ban: In my woods I'd stay a maiden, while I never killed a man. "Now the spell I wrought is ended," she vanished even as she spoke, Then the witch-wolf turned and fled him, howling as her spirit broke. Now though many maids pursue him, young Alexi dwells alone. And his friends are heard to wonder at how sad and fey he's grown. Young Alexi, proud no longer, Each day to the forest goes, Seeking something lost and hidden, Prays for magic in the snows. (The rest of the lyrics are replies to this one comment)
Cat Maiden: Here I sit warm on the fireside mat, absolute mistress of all that I see. No one demands any work of a cat; cleaning, or cooking, or any of that. In a cat's skin I am free. Why should I be a woman at all? Why should I be a maid? Out through the window or in through the door, coming and going as I may choose. Claiming my place on the cushion or floor, asking permission of none anymore. Nor fussing with dresses or shoes. Why should I be a woman at all? Why should I be a maid? Once I was human as any poor maid, suffering orders and worthless rules. Servant to others and ill repaid, for my poor chastity, always afraid. Subject of bullies and fools. Why should I be a woman at all? Why should I be a maid? Than an old wisewoman showed me the way of shifting my shape to be wild and free. Gladly I changed, and now gladly I stay, casting that slavish existence away. No more of that life for me. Why should I be a woman at all? Why should I be a maid? [Music] My old master thinks I was drowned in the stream; how often such vanishings do occur. Little he knows or could ever dream, as I stroll through his hall, fed on dainties and cream. Or sit on the mat and purrrrr. Why should I be a woman at all? Why should I be a maid? A maid? Why should I be a maid?
Caretakers: In the time of rising mountains, In the age where life was new; The trees were the rulers of life on Earth, And the world as a forest grew. But new life found the forest, And a new life tore the land. So the dryad came to protect the wood, To stay the humans' hands! (Dryad) "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood." In the time of ancient mountains, In an age no longer new; A man walked into the hard wood grove, With the chainsaw, and its crew. He reached for the crippled oak tree, And he waved his crew to start. When a vision leapt from the broken limb, And pierced him through the heart. (Dryad) "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood." She was sun and moon and starlight. She was earth and sky and sea. She was everything that he'd ever loved, And all that he wished to be. And she sang of the elder forests, And she sang of the rustling wind. And her arms reached out from the jagged bark, Reached out to pull him in! (Dryad) "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood." But the man pulled out an acorn, And he held it to her eyes. And he sang to her of birth and life, That even an oak must die. Then she knew that her tree had withered, So she turned no longer strong. And she passed away while the chainsaw's roar Drowned out her final song! (Dryad) "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood." In the night under ancient mountains, In the night under autumn sky. A man looks down at a rotting stone, And shakes his head, and sighs. So he kneels to plant the acorn, And he hears a quiet sound. A sound of joy and the hope of spring, The new life in the ground. (Dryad and Narrator) Singing, "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood." "I am the strength in the heart and the root, I am the soul of the wood."
Selkie Lover: (the words in the brackets may be wrong, please tell me if you see an error) Many wonders he showed me, treasures of the land and sea, I'll always remember revealed to me. One day in the spring I went down to the ocean to see The white gulls winging free. And there on the rocks did I meet a fair Selkie Who asked if his girl I would be. We loved all that spring and on through the long summer Wandering free on the [strands?]. And the magic he wrought for he loved to delight me With morals indeed on the sand. Many wonders he showed me, treasures of the land and sea, I'll always remember revealed to me. For now he is gone on the wings of the winter, Seeking the [warmth?] of the sea. But when spring returns I'll go down to the ocean, Hoping my Selkie to see. For hoping my love I will see.
The Worm Turned: I was sittin' one night with my good old buddy on a pier on about moonrise. Fishin' for some supper and drinkin' down beer, when I got me a big surprise. Reached in the can to get me some bait, for a nice fat fish, I'd planned. Just when I had 'em, well, the worm turned, and it bit me in the palm of the hand! Didn't know worms had teeth! Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head! Joe start'd t' giggle when I started wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed! Well, when Joe finished laughin' and said I needed help, so I headed back into town. I was twenty feet long with no arms, and no legs, by the time that we got down! I don't remember much, but it must've been awful, they say I had a [city street?] Talk about your ass fault: indigestion. I had heartburn for a week! Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head! Joe start'd t' giggle while I was a wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed! I fell into a burning ring of worms! It was wiggle, waggle, woggle, as I watched them suckers squirm. It was squirm, squirm, squirm, in a ring of worms! In a ring of worms. Well, the highway patrol, they finally got me cornered in a junkyard south of town. But then it was over, and I was just me, for the full moon had gone down. They let me off easy with a warning or two, and they sent me home with Joe. But I wanna know what's gonna happin' next month when the doggone moon in full. Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head! Joe start'd t' giggle while I was a wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed! Yeah, it was really funny.
Medusa: Once I did great beauty crave, It was a gift a Goddess gave. I served her in the temple square, Until Poseidon saw me there! Chorus: Be not of beauty, proud or vain. For mortal maid, it will be your bane. The Gods are jealous of love and power, Break faith, we're told, and we rue the hour. But mortal flesh can stir desire, That kindles even immortal fire! Chorus To Aphrodite sworn was I, But how could I, a God, deny? She cursed me infertile forsworn, And my great beauty she deformed. Chorus The years go by, my hatred grows, For all that lives and loves and knows. Despised, then feared, I dwell alone, Now my face can turn a man to stone! Chorus 2x
Thank you so much for preserving these songs in such great quality. I used to listen to some lower quality ripped MP3 files of these constantly, to get me through my day. I never thought I'd be able to hear Once and Future King, for example, in such beautiful quality. You've made my whole year. Bless your heart.
Thanks for uploading this! I just (literally fifteen minutes ago) discovered this existed! And time winds tavern is one of my favorites, so discovering, and finding, a relative of it was great!
Thank you! I'll be uploading more later this month. If you're not already subscribed, BTW, this is another wonderful channel with nicely restored older filk: th-cam.com/channels/FT-dQDYqzYC_bOCsLZcQ5g.html
Please do! If you want, I temporarily put up the full J-Card, if you prefer a different cover image: www.dropbox.com/s/si4vd202ufnwtdu/Snow%20Magic.pdf?dl=0
Thank you for sharing these songs with us. They got me through rehab past months 😊
00:00 - Snow Magic
04:44 - Cat Maiden
07:52 - Caretakers
12:22 - The Silkie Lover
15:43 - The Worm Turned
18:00 - Medusa
20:35 - The Were-House Blues
23:58 - Polyphemus
27:16 - Dark Desires
29:25 - Elf Glade
32:22 - Grendel
36:06 - Fox-Woman
40:55 - Deviled Glass
43:38 - Wolfling
46:36 - Snakes
49:10 - The Were-Wolf’s Lament
51:35 - The Once and Future King
54:23 - Harpy
56:51 - Incubus Rock
Snow Magic:
Long ago in Mother Russia, where the human kind were few,
Many of the woodland creatures spoke and lived as humans do.
Wisest of them knew Snow Magic, tigers, bears, and all the rest;
But among four-footed kindred white wolves knew it best.
In the forests of the North Land, where light curtains dance at night,
Lived a warrior named Alexi; he was young and fair and bright.
Many maidens sighed to see him,
but Alexi dwelled alone.
Though they did their best to please him
, to their charms he was as stone.
Then one day within the forest
, young Alexi passing there,
Met a maiden like no other. She was tall and proud and fair.
Hair as pale as virgin snowdrifts,
eyes like ice with hidden fire.
From the moment that he saw her, he was stricken with desire.
Young Alexi, proud Alexi,
There is magic in the snow!
There is peril in the forest,
Hiding more than you can know!
To Alexi's amaze and gladness his pale maid loved him in return.
He found she would deny him nothing, but her past he could not learn.
Nor would she once leave the forest, back to his own village go.
Said she feared the touch of strangers, could not leave the peaceful snow.
Nor would she let him stay past moonrise, no matter what her love would say,
But with tears and soft entreaties sent him homewards on his way.
Enemies had young Alexi,
one of them a cunning foe.
Noted where he spent his hours,
laid an ambush in the snow.
"Oh my love and life, Alexi,
Leave while light is in the sky!
There is danger in the forest;
Go and do not ask me why!"
Young Alexi, strong Alexi, laughed away his lover's fear.
And he did not leave till darkness, and behind him he could hear:
The sound of wolves that stalked his footsteps. Then before him he could see
Men who sprang out in an ambush
and his mortal enemy.
He was one against too many,
but ere they could raise a sword,
Wolves appeared and leapt upon them
, like a great avenging horde.
Wolves lead by a silver bitch-queen, fur as white and soft as snow.
And Alexi, much astonished,
watched his enemies laid low.
"Oh Alexi, my Alexi,
Why were you so bold and proud?
Why did you not heed the warning
That I dared not speak aloud?"
And the wolf-bitch faced Alexi, men's blood stained her white fur red.
And before he drew one breath
, his lover stood in wolfling stead.
"Long I've loved you, with Snow Magic, to weave spell with just one ban:
In my woods I'd stay a maiden, while I never killed a man.
"Now the spell I wrought is ended," she vanished even as she spoke,
Then the witch-wolf turned and fled him, howling as her spirit broke.
Now though many maids pursue him,
young Alexi dwells alone.
And his friends are heard to wonder at how sad and fey he's grown.
Young Alexi, proud no longer,
Each day to the forest goes,
Seeking something lost and hidden,
Prays for magic in the snows.
(The rest of the lyrics are replies to this one comment)
Cat Maiden:
Here I sit warm on the fireside mat, absolute mistress of all that I see.
No one demands any work of a cat; cleaning, or cooking, or any of that.
In a cat's skin I am free.
Why should I be a woman at all?
Why should I be a maid?
Out through the window or in through the door, coming and going as I may choose.
Claiming my place on the cushion or floor, asking permission of none anymore.
Nor fussing with dresses or shoes.
Why should I be a woman at all?
Why should I be a maid?
Once I was human as any poor maid, suffering orders and worthless rules.
Servant to others and ill repaid, for my poor chastity, always afraid.
Subject of bullies and fools.
Why should I be a woman at all?
Why should I be a maid?
Than an old wisewoman showed me the way of shifting my shape to be wild and free.
Gladly I changed, and now gladly I stay, casting that slavish existence away.
No more of that life for me.
Why should I be a woman at all?
Why should I be a maid?
[Music]
My old master thinks I was drowned in the stream; how often such vanishings do occur.
Little he knows or could ever dream, as I stroll through his hall, fed on dainties and cream.
Or sit on the mat and purrrrr.
Why should I be a woman at all?
Why should I be a maid? A maid? Why should I be a maid?
Caretakers:
In the time of rising mountains,
In the age where life was new;
The trees were the rulers of life on Earth,
And the world as a forest grew.
But new life found the forest,
And a new life tore the land.
So the dryad came to protect the wood,
To stay the humans' hands!
(Dryad)
"I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
In the time of ancient mountains,
In an age no longer new;
A man walked into the hard wood grove,
With the chainsaw, and its crew.
He reached for the crippled oak tree,
And he waved his crew to start.
When a vision leapt from the broken limb,
And pierced him through the heart.
(Dryad)
"I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
She was sun and moon and starlight.
She was earth and sky and sea.
She was everything that he'd ever loved,
And all that he wished to be.
And she sang of the elder forests,
And she sang of the rustling wind.
And her arms reached out from the jagged bark,
Reached out to pull him in!
(Dryad)
"I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
But the man pulled out an acorn,
And he held it to her eyes.
And he sang to her of birth and life,
That even an oak must die.
Then she knew that her tree had withered,
So she turned no longer strong.
And she passed away while the chainsaw's roar
Drowned out her final song!
(Dryad)
"I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
In the night under ancient mountains,
In the night under autumn sky.
A man looks down at a rotting stone,
And shakes his head, and sighs.
So he kneels to plant the acorn,
And he hears a quiet sound.
A sound of joy and the hope of spring,
The new life in the ground.
(Dryad and Narrator)
Singing, "I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
"I am the strength in the heart and the root,
I am the soul of the wood."
Selkie Lover: (the words in the brackets may be wrong, please tell me if you see an error)
Many wonders he showed me, treasures of the land and sea,
I'll always remember revealed to me.
One day in the spring I went down to the ocean to see
The white gulls winging free.
And there on the rocks did I meet a fair Selkie
Who asked if his girl I would be.
We loved all that spring and on through the long summer
Wandering free on the [strands?].
And the magic he wrought for he loved to delight me
With morals indeed on the sand.
Many wonders he showed me, treasures of the land and sea,
I'll always remember revealed to me.
For now he is gone on the wings of the winter,
Seeking the [warmth?] of the sea.
But when spring returns I'll go down to the ocean,
Hoping my Selkie to see.
For hoping my love I will see.
The Worm Turned:
I was sittin' one night with my good old buddy on a pier on about moonrise.
Fishin' for some supper and drinkin' down beer, when I got me a big surprise.
Reached in the can to get me some bait, for a nice fat fish, I'd planned.
Just when I had 'em, well, the worm turned, and it bit me in the palm of the hand!
Didn't know worms had teeth!
Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head!
Joe start'd t' giggle when I started wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed!
Well, when Joe finished laughin' and said I needed help, so I headed back into town.
I was twenty feet long with no arms, and no legs, by the time that we got down!
I don't remember much, but it must've been awful, they say I had a [city street?]
Talk about your ass fault: indigestion. I had heartburn for a week!
Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head!
Joe start'd t' giggle while I was a wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed!
I fell into a burning ring of worms!
It was wiggle, waggle, woggle, as I watched them suckers squirm.
It was squirm, squirm, squirm, in a ring of worms!
In a ring of worms.
Well, the highway patrol, they finally got me cornered in a junkyard south of town.
But then it was over, and I was just me, for the full moon had gone down.
They let me off easy with a warning or two, and they sent me home with Joe.
But I wanna know what's gonna happin' next month when the doggone moon in full.
Well the moon started glowin' and I started grownin', had a strange pain in my head!
Joe start'd t' giggle while I was a wigglin', like an earthworm in a flower bed!
Yeah, it was really funny.
Medusa:
Once I did great beauty crave,
It was a gift a Goddess gave.
I served her in the temple square,
Until Poseidon saw me there!
Chorus:
Be not of beauty, proud or vain.
For mortal maid, it will be your bane.
The Gods are jealous of love and power,
Break faith, we're told, and we rue the hour.
But mortal flesh can stir desire,
That kindles even immortal fire!
Chorus
To Aphrodite sworn was I,
But how could I, a God, deny?
She cursed me infertile forsworn,
And my great beauty she deformed.
Chorus
The years go by, my hatred grows,
For all that lives and loves and knows.
Despised, then feared, I dwell alone,
Now my face can turn a man to stone!
Chorus 2x
I can’t believe how many years ago I recorded that song. The silkie. It more beautiful than I remembered .
Thank you so much for preserving these songs in such great quality. I used to listen to some lower quality ripped MP3 files of these constantly, to get me through my day. I never thought I'd be able to hear Once and Future King, for example, in such beautiful quality. You've made my whole year. Bless your heart.
What a precious resource.
Thank Christ for presentation efforts.
Thanks for uploading this! I just (literally fifteen minutes ago) discovered this existed! And time winds tavern is one of my favorites, so discovering, and finding, a relative of it was great!
Thank you! I'll be uploading more later this month.
If you're not already subscribed, BTW, this is another wonderful channel with nicely restored older filk: th-cam.com/channels/FT-dQDYqzYC_bOCsLZcQ5g.html
Thank you!!!
It's nice to hear these without the ravages of time.
Mind if I split this into the individual songs and upload those?
Please do! If you want, I temporarily put up the full J-Card, if you prefer a different cover image: www.dropbox.com/s/si4vd202ufnwtdu/Snow%20Magic.pdf?dl=0
P.S. Of course, feel free to re-edit it any way you'd like -- I'm not a sound engineer (and didn't have great tools when I did this 3 weeks ago.)
Alrighty, I'll make sure to link back here too.
And that's alright, I'm not either, haha.
@@lunathir And just let me know when you got the PDF, and I'll take it down!
I just downloaded it, thanks!