Meanwhile in the Royal Steading of Poztar...

[bunn]

Continued from...

In Poztar, the wood-built capital of Urd, King Hormerath, friend of Blue Wizards, is dying.  Thingolodh of the Falas waits beside him, cheering his last hour with tales of the Great Sea in the West.  Or so he told us later.  Knowing Thingolodh, I'm not sure exactly how cheering that would be, but no doubt Hormerath was excited

Comments

[ladyofastolat]

Once again in the interests of "if we don't write it in this LJ record, we'll entirely forget about it before next year," I should add that some local traditions sing this aditional verse of the Gyula song. Most scholars believe it was never truly part of Gyula's song, but was probably added long ago by some waggish singer in a pub as a local in-joke, but went on to become local tradition, repeated by people long after the original circumstance that had inspired the joke had been forgotten. However, it appears to have an urgent message to tell, one that was clearly important at the time to whoever wrote it.

Long ages hence in Tamar's vale
Not far from Gyula's Lake*,
They'll toast his name with wine and ale
And eat a lot of cake,
And arm themselves with forks so sharp
And quantities absurd
Or cheese - but all will be in vain
Unless they heed these words.

Don't forget the meths!
Make sure a bottle's nigh!
In Gyula's name, and for his death,
The fondue must not die!* The mention of this place name, in conjunction with the river Tamar,

[bunn]

!!! The meths!

I had already forgotten it. Am off to Tavi today, will see if I can track some down.

Have just realised I had endowed Hormerath with a Funeral Pier, which is a pretty epic notion, much more impressive than a mere pyre. :-D

[ladyofastolat]

And don't forget to record in this post which cupboard the meths is put it. :-D

I'd have thought the body would have started to whiff a bit by the time a pier had been constructed. Unless it's a very small pier - on at which you dock a coracle, perhaps. Probably best to dispense with the end-of-pier ballrooms and tacky amusement arcades, too.

[bunn]

One in the utility room, one in the cupboard with the fondue sets.

According to the shop we found them in 'old people buy it a lot, I don't know what they do with it'.

[jane_somebody]

Your link to LoA's journal for the song is broken. (Yes, I am reading all this, and enjoying it too :-) )

[bunn]

Oops, so it was. Now fixed.