Author's Note(s): Seeing as this is based upon old English ballads, it may work better read aloud. I vaguely had a tune to this…Which is rather scary. The whole thing is basically me experimenting—inspirations include 'The Children' ballads, esp. 'The Ballad of Tam Lin', which I do not own seeing as they were made up sometime in the 14th century. Also, since formatting on FF is BLOODY IMPOSSIBLE (/mutters to herself grimly/) I've italicized every other verse so that it is (slightly) clearer. Enjoy! –P
The Ballad of Koriand'r
verse 1.
O once a young maid skipping came
Her hair all bathed in fire,
For her ambition e're to tame.
(She sought her Heart's Desire.)
Though ev'ry tale of ev'ry lass
'Tis born in this same way
The heart of a star is clear as glass
And sweet and gold as hay.
Outside she was silver and spring
Inside 'twas Wind and Wire
But one alone made her heart sing
Her beautiful Heart's Desire!
Refrain: O, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme,
Rosemary, thyme and tea!
I am away to my true love mine,
I'll ask no leave of thee!
verse 2.
'Young maid, young maid, do slow your steps!'
Her friend the blackbird cries.
'A promise e're has not been kept;
Do not take heart in lies!'
'My will, my will, 'tis my own!
My Daddie gave it me!
I'll go and seek my Heart's Desire,
And ask no leave of thee!'
Chorus: The star has kilted her red mantle
A bit above the knee
And she has braided her scarlet hair
A bit above her bree…
Starfire's away to her Heart's Desire
As fast as she can flee!
verse 3.
She tarried East and tarried West
And searched the days full-speed
But soon the search seemed full of jest,
The people full of greed.
For from the Faerie-land she came
From Faerie-land she fleed
And every hour the words did blur
And so her heart did bleed.
Till finally she spied among
Her good companions three
Her Heart's Desire, liver and lung,
Yet all the Earth to she!
Refrain: Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme,
Rosemary, thyme, and tea!
I am away to my true love mine;
I'll ask no leave of thee!
verse 4.
'Young maid, young maid, do not be sore!'
She heard the green man cry.
'I've lost myself a love before;
Soon all souls say "good-bye!"'
'My will, my will, 'tis my own!
My Daddie gave it me!
I'll go and love my Heart's Desire,
And ask no leave of thee!'
Chorus: The star has kilted her red mantle
A bit above the knee
And she has braided her scarlet hair
A bit above her bree…
Starfire's away to her Heart's Desire
As fast as she can flee!
verse 5.
Soon she and her Heart's Desire
Became as thick as thieves
And soon her soul soared higher than
The thickest elder leaves.
Still as one eye said, 'Tis fine'
The other did not agree.
And Star would weep and tear and pine
For her heart to be freed.
For though a friend her heart did love
A lover her heart admired!
And her desire for a heart thereof
Was all her heart desired.
Refrain: Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme,
Rosemary, thyme and tea!
I am away to my true love mine—
I'll ask no leave of thee!
verse 6.
'Young maid, young maid, the dead you'll wake!'
Her friend the machine cried.
'I know your love you're bound to take,
And I know that we tried.'
'Young man, young man, do understand,'
said the lover she.
'Though many wings I'm bound to break
More love will give to me.'
Chorus: The star has kilted her red mantle
A bit above the knee
And she has braided her scarlet hair
A bit above her bree…
Starfire's away to her Heart's Desire
As fast as she can flee!
Author's Note(s): Okay, yeah, that was weird. But gimme a break-- I'm experimenting here! And something about Starfire screams "fantasy", so a slightly (okay, really) fantastic style seemed appropriate for her.
Remember-- reviews do make the heart grow fonder! Erm, please? And thank you! (/insert cheesy wink right here/)
With love and Rasputina,
Paiga!