Favorite song/poem

[Eulaliaaa!]

Brian Jacques wrote many Redwall songs, riddles, and poems. What are your favorites? Here's one of mine:

To where will they go,
This is a secret nobeast may know.
Marlfox!
Plundering, murdering, vulpine thieves,
Who blend with stone or meld with leaves.
Marlfox!
See the pale eyes and swirling cloak,
Appear like nightmare vanish like smoke.
Marlfox!
What steals upon the silent air,
Gleaming fang, mottled fur,
A deadly axeblade lying there.
Marlfox!
Nobeast living can hide from thee,
O thou who tread invisibly,
Cross woods and stone, through hill and vale.
Marlfox!
Marlfox!
Marlfox!

[Machiavellian]

I've got t' go with "The Scruffy Dog" m'self.
I've been listening to the delightful liddle ditty all week- Lend yer ear, yonder!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlckDRQ54rw&list=PL7LXAiE0n2UH8p8fS0tYTngtbM0duF1Le

[Wot, wot!]

I loved these ones...

"Amid the deep white winter snow,
Sleeps Mossflow'r until spring,
While snug in Cavern Hole below,
All Redwall's creatures sing.
Old autumn gave us plenty,
Our harvest did not fail,
No plate or jug is empty,
There's good October ale."
(Martin the Warrior)

"Cut the cake, cut the cake,
Cut the cake for goodness sake,
Me an' my mate have each got a plate,
An' here we have to sit an' wait.
So cut the cake, say the grace,
Let's get cream upon me face,
An' sticky paws as a slice I take,
Oh cut that cake for goodness sake!"
(The Outcast of Redwall )

[Eulaliaaa!]

Old stories told by travellers,
Great songs that bards have sung,
Of Mossflower summers, faded, gone,
When Redwall's stones were young.
Great Hall fires on winter nights,
The legends, who remembers,
Battles, banquets, comrades, quests,
Recalled midst glowing embers.
Craw close now, little woodlander,
Take this to sleep with you,
My tale of dusty far-off times,
When warrior hearts were true.
Then store it in your memory,
And be the sage who says
To young ones in the years to come:
"Ah yes, those were the day."
-Mariel of Redwall

[Skyblade]

I LOVE LIKE (love and like are not the same thing!) THIS THREAD. Thankee for making it

From The Legend of Luke:
The young must grow old,
Whilst old ones grow older,
And cowards will shrink,
As the bold grow bolder.
Courage may blossom in quiet hearts,
For who can tell where bravery starts?
Truth is a song, oft lying unsung,
Some mother bird, protecting her young,
Those who lay down their lives for friends,
The echo rolls onward, it seldom ends.
Who never turned and ran, but stayed?
This is a warrior born, not made!
Living in peace, aye many a season,
Calm in life and sound in reason,
'Til evil arrives, a wicked horde,
Driving a warrior to pick up his sword,
The challenger rings then, straight and fair,
Justice is with us, beware. Beware!

I also like the poem that runs throughout Rakkety Tam, but it's a bit long.

[Eulaliaaa!]

Oh yes, I love the one from Legend of Luke! And thanks, I saw no one had made this topic, so I thought it would be a good idea. Here's one from Rackety Tam:

Rackety Rackety Rackety Tam,
The drums are beatin' braw!
Rackety Rackety Rackety Tam,
Are ye marchin' off tae war?

A warrior from the Border came,
A buckler o'er his shoulder,
A claymore swingin' at his side,
There's no a beast who's bolder!

Oh Rackety Tam has sold his sword,
Ah scarce believe he's done it.
He pledged his sword untae a fool,
Who took his oath upon it!

[Skyblade]

"Those who wish to challenge fate,
To a jumbled shout walk straight.
Sunset fires in dexteree,
Find where Loamhedge used to be.
At the high place near the skies,
Look for other watchful eyes.
Sleep not ‘neath the darkpine trees,
Be on your guard, take not your ease.
Voyage when the daylight dims,
Danger in the water swims.
Make no sound with spear or sword,
Lest you wake the Longtail Horde
Shades of creatures who have died,
Bones of warriors who have tried.
Shrink not from the barren land,
Look below from where you stand.
This is where a stone may fall and make no sound at all.
Those who cross and live to tell,
See the badger and the bell.
Face the lord who points the way,
After noon on summers day,
Death will open up its grave.
Who goes there...? None but the brave."

Great poem from Mattimeo

[Eulaliaaa!]

Here's one from Pearls of Lutra:

O curse the name Mad Eyes,
Say woe to the day
When he tried to steal
Tears of all Oceans away.
All corsairs and searats
Whose messmates lie dead,
Saw blood and hot flame
Turn the seas flowing red.
Though the northcoast lies far
And the ocean is wide,
Run from the green arrows
Of vengeance, and hide.
For the price of six tears
Through the dreams of us all,
Walks the fear of a Warrior
From the place called Redwall.
Now the life of our Brethren
Who followed the sea,
Will ne'er be the same
For such rovers as we.
'Twas the greed of a tyrant
That brought us to shame,
Six tears for a crown-
Curse the Emperor's name!
(Verses taken from an old corsair ballad.)

[Wot, wot!]

 

" The Gousssom shrews are off to war,
With our rapiers close to paw.
Woe to him who will not go
To fight the vermin foe.
Logalog Logalog Log-a-log!
Gousssom shrews must live or die
Free beneath the open sky.
Battle on while we have breath,
With no far of death.
Logalog Logalog Log-a-log!"
-The Goussom shrews on their way to fight Ferahgo the assassin (Salamandastron )

[Skyblade]

This one is so classic, but it's also the one that helped draw me into the Redwall series. It is truly enchanting. In fact, the whole novel is

Who says that I am dead
Knows nought at all.
I - am that is,
Two mice within Redwall.
The Warrior sleeps
'Twixt Hall and Cavern Hole.
I - am that is,
Take on my mighty role.
Look for the sword
In moonlight streaming forth,
At night, when day's first hour
Reflects the North.
From o'er the threshold
Seek and you will see;
I - am that is,
My sword will wield for me.

[Wot, wot!]

it really is enchanting Brian truly had amazing talent. The way he organized every word to fall in place  is so incredible

[Eulaliaaa!]

Here's one from Taggerung:

Who can outrun the wind,
Yet turn on a single leaf?
Stand silent as an amberfly,
Or steal the breath from a thief?
The Taggerung!
Who can outswim a pike,
With eyes as keen as the hawk's?
Who bring death in his wake,
Yet leaves no trace where he walks?
Zann Juskarath Taggerung!

[Skyblade]

I like this one from The Legend of Luke; it's so lively

Tails in the Stream
'Tails in the stream mates, tails in the stream,
No time t' sit around the bank an' dream,
Is it a pike perch roach or bream?
No, 'tis an otter with his tail in the stream!
Whupperywhoo mates, whupperyhoo,
Clouds are white an' the sky is blue,
Rap with y' tail an' stamp with that paw,
Bow to y' partner an' around once more!
Bread'n'honey'n'cakes'n'cream,
Supper's in the oven an' tails in the stream

[Eulaliaaa!]

Here's one from Sable Quean:

One day when our hearts were young,
we went roving with right good will,
side by side two comrades,
to find what lay o'er the hill.
Our spirits never wearied then,
in those high old times gone by.
What friends we made, what perils we faced,
together you and I.
Now eyes grow dim, and paws feel stiff,
even vittles don't taste the same.
You wake one day, with your whiskers grey,
what price then, medals an' fame?
Alas, all we have are memories,
to take out, dust off, and share.
But, oh, my friend, the pride we feel,
just to know that we were there!
We travelled an' fought an' feasted,
we truimphed, we marched and songs were sung,
we faced death, saw life and adventure!
One day when our hearts were young.

[LT Sandpaw]

Does it have to be by Brian?