Disclaimer: The Forgotten Realms setting, the drow, the elven gods, and the Tel'Quessir belong to Wizards of the Coast/TSR. I am not doing this for profit, and I make no claim to the drow or the moon elves.
A Warning Against Them
Under the clear light of the full moon,
Under the fire of the loving bright stars,
We have little to fear from them, child,
Blood of the People, lover of the wild.
Under the tender guiding hand of Sehanine,
Under the magic of Corellon's sway,
We have little to fear from them, child,
For they do not come raiding by day.
But when the night descends without stars,
When the fire of the sun fades into dark,
We have much to fear from them, child,
For they come then to quench our spark.
They do not love the light of sun or moon;
They do not love the light of a fire.
But we still must fear them, little child,
Our dark kin whose hearts are savage and wild.
There is evil in the touch of their hands;
There is evil in the click of a crossbow.
If you hear them, you must fear them, child.
Do not hesitate, but turn around and go!
But, too often, they come as silent as night,
Rising from the ground as the shadows do.
If you see them, you must fear them, child,
And run away; do not look behind you.
But too often, one cannot see them at all,
Guarded as they are by their magical cloaks.
If you sense them, you must fear them, child,
And flee away into the arms of the wild.
There will be laughter and song on their lips;
There will be blood on their swords ere done.
If you would live, then you must fear them, child.
Your feet are your friends, and the light of the sun.
Grown elves might alone face them and live,
But too often, the People fall before the drow.
If they come raiding, you must fear them, child,
And take heed of what I say to you now.
The taint of the Spider Queen has darkened them,
Blackened their skin and deadened their hair.
If you see one of them, you must fear them, child,
And trust your life rather to any beast of the wild.
Long and long ago they were banished Below,
But still they hunt us, the wild Ssri'Tel'Quessir.
Listen to my song and learn to fear them, child,
And be ready at a raid to run far from here.
Ah, how your eyes shine with your courage!
You would take up the sword if you could.
But to know the drow is to fear them, child,
And to long for the safety of light and the wood.
Under the tender guiding hand of Sehanine,
Under the magic of Corellon's sway,
We might hope someday not to fear them, child.
May all the People live to see such a day!
But meanwhile, the drow will come raiding,
And no elf can live when once a drow smells him.
To be an elf is to fear the drow, child,
As much as dancing in and loving the wild.
A Warning Against Them
Under the clear light of the full moon,
Under the fire of the loving bright stars,
We have little to fear from them, child,
Blood of the People, lover of the wild.
Under the tender guiding hand of Sehanine,
Under the magic of Corellon's sway,
We have little to fear from them, child,
For they do not come raiding by day.
But when the night descends without stars,
When the fire of the sun fades into dark,
We have much to fear from them, child,
For they come then to quench our spark.
They do not love the light of sun or moon;
They do not love the light of a fire.
But we still must fear them, little child,
Our dark kin whose hearts are savage and wild.
There is evil in the touch of their hands;
There is evil in the click of a crossbow.
If you hear them, you must fear them, child.
Do not hesitate, but turn around and go!
But, too often, they come as silent as night,
Rising from the ground as the shadows do.
If you see them, you must fear them, child,
And run away; do not look behind you.
But too often, one cannot see them at all,
Guarded as they are by their magical cloaks.
If you sense them, you must fear them, child,
And flee away into the arms of the wild.
There will be laughter and song on their lips;
There will be blood on their swords ere done.
If you would live, then you must fear them, child.
Your feet are your friends, and the light of the sun.
Grown elves might alone face them and live,
But too often, the People fall before the drow.
If they come raiding, you must fear them, child,
And take heed of what I say to you now.
The taint of the Spider Queen has darkened them,
Blackened their skin and deadened their hair.
If you see one of them, you must fear them, child,
And trust your life rather to any beast of the wild.
Long and long ago they were banished Below,
But still they hunt us, the wild Ssri'Tel'Quessir.
Listen to my song and learn to fear them, child,
And be ready at a raid to run far from here.
Ah, how your eyes shine with your courage!
You would take up the sword if you could.
But to know the drow is to fear them, child,
And to long for the safety of light and the wood.
Under the tender guiding hand of Sehanine,
Under the magic of Corellon's sway,
We might hope someday not to fear them, child.
May all the People live to see such a day!
But meanwhile, the drow will come raiding,
And no elf can live when once a drow smells him.
To be an elf is to fear the drow, child,
As much as dancing in and loving the wild.