Darus and Traian
Darus and Traian were brothers, some say twins, that figure prominently in a series of Andrzej stories. Traian was a bard reputed to have once sung a lullaby so potent it put a rampaging white dragon to sleep. Darus was a warrior that once fought and won a hundred duels in a single day.
One of the earliest legends says that Darus and Traian defeated a pack of trolls when they were no older than 12. Shortly thereafter, Darus left Andrzej to wander for a number of years (stories vary between 5 and 15). Traian had many adventures during this time, including convincing a group of storm giants to give up raiding and become peaceful vegetarians. He also out sang a Rusalka to save a village.
Shortly after Darus returned, trouble came in the form of invaders. The invaders convinced a group of the nobles to side with them in return for wealth. The leader of the invaders took a meal in the tavern owned by the mother of Darus and Traian. While serving his meal, the old woman stumbled, and spilled a drink on the invaders. Irritated, the invader ordered the town sheriff to have the old woman horsewhipped. The sheriff obeyed. Traian came upon the scene, and his cry of rage was so powerful it struck 4 of the invaders dead.
The sheriff seized Traian, and upon the orders of the invaders, made to hang him. Darus returned just in time to save Traian, and struck the head of the sheriff off with a mighty blow. Traian rallied the people against the nobles in what is believed to be the first rebellion by common folk against the nobles. Darus fought the invaders alongside warriors from various villages.
The leader of the nobles struck back, stealing the villager’s children away in the night and threatening to kill them if the villagers did not surrender the brothers. Darus went to the castle alone and fought the invaders, freeing the children. The final battle between Darus and the invader was so great it shook the mountain, burying the invader’s keep in rubble and ending the lives of the invaders. Darus sacrificed himself to save his people. Traian rallied the villagers, and with the return of the children, emerged victorious and tore down the castle of the leading noble.
Anca the Hunter
Anca was found as a young girl, and though feral, was taken in by a local hunter. Her exploits are many, including taking on a tribe of werewolves to avenge her foster brother, and slaying an evil wizard that tried to enslave her village. Anca was part werewolf herself, and legend holds she still wanders the forest in the form of a black wolf, seeking the vampire that killed her husband.
Songs
The Bandit Song
Westan James
Oh I am a Rover, I roam the land over,
and I'll never settle until I get caught.
From village to township my sword hangs at my hip, an'
you'll never catch me I'll always be sought.
We hold the highways and we hold the hills
steal your silver make off with your tills
call down your kingsmen - we quicken our pace
Drive hard for the forest we live for the chase!
A knave so beguiling that while your still smiling
before you know it I've got all your gold.
And I am so dashing I'll escape the thrashing
so damnably vexing I'll live till I'm old.
We have the forest and we have the moors,
rustle your cattle and take what is yours.
Call the High Sheriff we couldn't care less!
Torture us glady we'll never confess!
No you cannot beat me nor ever defeat me.
I am but a sinner and I have no shame.
To filch all that glimmers purloin all that shimmers.
To nab it and grab it that's our favorite game.
We hold the alley and we hold the night.
We're always ready and willing to fight.
Put all your money right here in the sack!
Just do as we say, there's a knife at your back!
Ah we are hellacious, our greed is voracious
and no one is safe above our plans and schemes
Rogue's from a nightmare, we burgle with great care and
if you can hear this we've stolen your dreams.
We rule the backlands and we know the waste,
sneak into the village and ride off in haste.
We rob and we plunder and sunder and kill,
we wreck and we ruin and threaten with skill.
Yes we're here to scare you to trap and ensnare you,
rakish young devils we scoff at the law!
Remarkably daring, our nostrils a flaring,
make off with yer chattel our plans have no flaw!
We'll take the booty and we'll take the loot!
We all have daggers concealed in our boot.
Call the kings horses and all the lawmen,
we'll just evade them again and again.
Yes we are all blackguards, raise up all the tankards
and drink to the wild ways that led us astray.
Sometimes we are charming but most times alarming,
don't ever forget us or be our next prey!
We hide in shadows and hide behind trees.
We prove that there is no honor among thieves
We'll count up the gain, and you'll count up the loss.
Where is my dagger? In your gullet boss!
So in conclusion we thrive on illusion.
We're all in collusion, keep secrets or die.
We all conspire, around the campfire.
Make plans to go straight, of course I'd never lie.
A Rebel Song
Come workers, sing a rebel song, a song of love and hate,
Of love unto the lowly, and of hatred to the great
The great who trod our fathers down, who steal our childrens bread,
Whose hand of greed is stretched to rob the living and the dead
Then sing our rebel song, as we proudly sweep along
To end the age-long tyranny that makes for human tears
Our march is nearer done with each setting of the sun,
And the tyrants might is passing with the passing of the years.
We sing no song of wailing, and no song of sights or tears,
High are our hopes and stout our hearts, and banished all our fears
Our flag is raised above us so that all the world may see
'Tis Labour's faith and Labours arm alone can labour free.
Out from the depths of misery we march with hearts aflame,
With wrath against the rulers false who wreck our menhoods name
The serf who licks his tyrants rod may bend forgiving knee.
The slave who breaks his slaverys chain a wrathful man must be.
Our army marches onward with its face towards the dawn,
In trust secure in that one thing the slave may lean upon,
The might within the arm of him who, knowing freedom's worth,
Strikes home to banish tyranny from off the face of earth
Black is the Color
Black is the color of my true love`s hair
Her lips are like some roses fair
She`s the sweetest face and the gentlest hands.
I love the ground whereon she stands
I love my love and well she knows
I love the ground whereon she goes.
But some times I whish the day will come
That she and I will be as one
Black is the color of my true love`s hair
Her lips are like some roses fair
She`s the sweetest face and the gentlest hands.
I love the ground whereon she stands
Down by the Pulski Gardens
Down by the Pulski Gardens my love and I did meet
She passed the Pulski gardens with the little snow-white feet
She bid me take love easy as leaves grow on the trees
But I being young and foolish with her did not agree
In a field by the river my love and I did stand
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow while hand
She me take life easy and the grass grows on the weirs
But I was young and foolish and now am full of tears
I walk to the river for to mourn and weep
But satisfied I never can sleep
I'll write her a letter, just a few short lines
And suffer death ten thousand times
Good Woman’s Skill
You sweet pretty ladies where e’er you may be
Now just pay attention and listen to me
I will not defend you depend on my word
I will sing you a verse or two such as I’ve heard
Chorus:
For the men, they may bother and say what they will
But there’s nothing can equal a good woman’s skill
They say that the woman’s the pride of the land
We know she’s the joy and the comfort of man
A man may as well put an end to his life
For to think to live single without a good wife
Some men say they wish their wives were dead
It would ease all their woes to be no longer wed
But ask any man who’s been widowed of late
If his hand is as good as a deep hearted mate
Then there are the men who say they’re grand in bed
They brag of the things they can do with their head
But while they’re off bragging to all their old pals
There’s a lusty liason between just the gals
Lamp Lighting Time in the Valley
Oh, there’s a lamp shining bright in a cabin
In a window, it’s shining for me
And I know that my mother is praying
For the boy she is longing to see
Chorus:
When it’s lamp lighting time in the valley
In my dreams I go back to my home
Oh, I can see that old lamp in the window
It will guide me wherever I roam
Oh, when the lamp lights tonight, I can see her
As she rocks in her chair, to and fro
Oh, she’s praying that I’ll come back to see her
And I know that I never can go
Queen of all Argendl
Gentlemen it is my duty to inform you of one beauty
Though I’d ask of you a favor no to seek her for
Awhile, though I own she is a creature of character
A feature, no words can paint the picture of
The Queen of Argendl
Chorus:
And if you could’ve seen her there boy if you had just been
There she swam was in her movement an the morning in her smile
All the roses in the garden they bow and ask her pardon for
Not one could match the beauty of the Queen of Argendl
On the evening that I mention I passed with light intention
Thru apart of our dear country known for beauty and for style
A place of noble thinkers of scholars and great drinkers
Rosin the Bow
(Chorus after each verse = last phrase of verse twice, followed by last line of verse)
I’ve traveled all over this world and now to another I go
And I know that good quarters are waiting to welcome old Rosin the Bow
Chorus
To welcome old Rosin the Bow, to welcome old Rosin the Bow
And I know that good quarters are waiting to welcome old Rosin the Bow
When I’m dead and laid out on the counter, a voice you will hear from below
Saying, ‘Send down a hogshead of vodka to drink with old Rosin the Bow
To drink with old Rosin the Bow, to drink with old Rosin the Bow
Saying, ‘Send down a hogshead of vodka to drink with old Rosin the Bow
And get a half dozen stout fellows and stack them all up in a row
Let them drink out of half gallon bottles to the memory of Rosin the Bow
Get this half dozen stout fellows and let hem all stagger and go
And dig a great hole in the meadow and in it put Rosin the Bow
Get ye a couple of bottles. Put one at me head and me toe
With a diamond ring scratch upon them the name of old Rosin the Bow
I feel that old tyrant approaching, that cruel remorseless old fool
And I lift up me glass in his honour to drink with old Rosin the Bow
The Banks of the Roses
On the Banks of the Roses my love and I sat down
And I took out my fiddle for to play my love a tune
In the middle of the tune oh she smiled and she said
Oh my Ivan dear Ivan don’t you leave me
When I was a young lad I heard my father say
That he’d rather see me dead and be buried in the clay
Sooner than be married and a rovin’ runaway
By the lovely sweet Banks of the Roses
Chorus
Well now I am a runaway and sure I’ll let them know
That I can take the bottle or can leave it alone
And if her Daddy doesn’t like me he can keep his daughter home
And young Ivan will go rovin’ with another
Chorus
And if ever I get married t’will be in the month of May
When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay
And me and my true love will sit and sport and play
By the lovely sweet Banks of the Roses
Chorus x 2 (last line slow)
Whistling Gypsy
Chorus:
Ha le du ha le du da day
Ha le du ha le day de, He whistled and he sang
‘Til the green woods rang, An’ he won
The heart of the lady
Whistling gypsy came o’er the hill, down thru
The valley so shady, he whistled and he sang til
The green woods rang, and he won the heart of the lady
She left her fathers castle gate, she left own fond lover
She left her servants and her estate
To follow the gypsy rover
Her father saddled his fastest steed
Roamed the valley all over
Sought out his daughter at great speed and the whistling
Gypsy rover
He came at last to a castle fine down by the river glyde
An’ there was music and there was wine
For the gypsy and his lady
He is no gypsy my father, she said
But lord of these lands all over
An I will stay til my dying day
With my whistling gypsy rover.
Hoist the colours high
Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho,
thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.
The king and his men
stole the queen from her bed
and bound her in her Bones.
The seas be ours
and by the powers
where we will we'll roam.
Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.
Some men have died
and some are alive
and others sail on the sea
– with the keys to the cage…
and the Devil to pay
we lay to Fiddler's Green!
The bell has been raised
from it's watery grave…
Do you hear it's sepulchral tone?
We are a call to all,
pay head the squall
and turn your sail toward home!
Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.
