Haggard
Tales of Ithiria
1. The Origin
It had already become day as he opened the big wooden door and stepped out of the shadows.
The sun had shown behind the eastern forest, bright and warm in a cloudless sky.
As his eyes closed, he slowly raised his head.
Gently, the morning wind caressed his face and rustled through his long hair
The chatter of the birds had become one with the whispers of the black elders, melding with the rhythmic babbling of the little brook, which wound its way to the distance behind the humble grange.
But it has not always been like that.
One thousand seven hundred years ago, during the celebration of the two moons, the enemy forayed over powered the villagers under the cloak of darkness.
Brave men were cut down where they stood in the cold crisp autumn night.
The ones who still had life in their veins escaped in despair, but regathered quickly and formed a resistance.
Many among them, women and children, only armed with axes, torches, and pitchforks.
And it seemed as if all hope was forsaken...
2. Chapter I - Tales Of Ithiria
Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra
Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra
Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem
[English translation:
When the heavens and the earth shall be moved
When you will come to judge the world by fire]
My son, now listen what I say:
Keep in mind what you have learned
Wrap your fingers 'round your sword
Maybe you will not return
Thousands that we once have been
Only a few are still here
I've to give this sacrifice...
... oh, the autumn brought us fear!
My life, my blood, my tears, my pain
I'm the guardener of thee
Through an axestrike I have lost
The ability to see
Now my child, your time hath come
Mercy - not with those you'll harm
Wrap your fingers 'round your sword...
(And the ones we love will fall
Like autumn leaves
On these endless fields)
... as the horn sounds the alarm!
Und als der Sturm begann
Als Fleisch auf Eisen traf
Hell wie der Glocken Klang
Die Schreie derer, deren Glück versagt
Mit Wunden übersät
Der Eichenhain ihm Schutze bot
Wie die Legende sagt
War dies des Vaters sich'rer Tod
Now that all silence was disturbed
The Ground, as red as autumn leafs
Father Frost, the last they feel
On these mighty, endless fields
Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra
Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem
Hush hush, my child
Mother death is your bride
If you listen her song you will follow
So better beware
Let your senses take care
Your innocent mind will be hallowed
A step in the dark
(Miserere Dominus [English translation: Lord, have mercy])
A secret to hide
(Rex tremendae majestatis [English translation: King of tremendous majesty])
A legend to tell
(Libera eas [English translation: Free them])
Drowned in the waters of time
(Miserere Dominus)
A secret to hide
He holds
Wisdom of ancient times
A parchment with numbers and rhymes
Fear speaks the spell to survive
The circle of druids - alive!
They all gathered in the night
Within the torches light
As their slumber did awake
So I did wish a thousand times
Mother Death would come to me
In her arms I will entwine
And I'm rising up to thee
Now my child, my time hath come
Mercy - not with those I'll harm
I wrap my fingers 'round my sword...
... as their horn sounds the alarm!
Now the winter begins
On this endless fields
3. From Deep Within
Arriving at his farm house
He saw his fathers lifeless body
Pinned to the front door by two arrows
He could feel his anger rising...
... From Deep Within
4. Chapter II - Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves
Moonrise
On my path...
Als ich nun wand're auf dem Pfad
Und die Dunkelheit verhüllt
Den Mondenschein der Licht mir gab
Der das inn're Toben stillt
Suddently
Along the mountainside
Fog demons slowly rise
Oh wanderer you'll see
Your fate seems to be sealed by thee
As magic did weave
On sanctified grounds
He fell on this knees where he stood
And blinded by those
That have passed long ago
Here in Gildeon's Woods
As he turns his head
Hurt by the beasts
His heart - filled with fear
For this is the end
Or will he find
The way out of here
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine
Et lux perpetua luceat eis
Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Ithiria
Sanctus
Dominus
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus
Requiem aeternam
Il mistero
Valli di Ithiria
Deep inside the forest's heart
Enchanted by the ones
of ancient times
Magic be their light
That dimmers deep within
Night at Gildeon's Woods
Did you ever wander?
And you got lost on secret paths?
Did you ever see them?
Is purity within your heart?
Then trough the trees
A light you may have seen
That saved you from the dark
Moonrise
Wenn auch die Hoffnung
in mir schwand
Mit zitternd Hand
mein Schwert ich zieh'
Unterm finst'ren Himmelszelt
Der Wölfe Hunger nie versiegt
Ein Hieb, ein Schrei,
ein Schmerz, ein Licht
Doch es ist des Todes
düst'rer Schatten nicht
Gazing at the moons' silvery light
Here, where history may fall
Enter the realm of darkened mimght
Courage may now be with us all
In times of freedom, times of fear
Mother death stands by their side
An unicorn so proud and clear
Ride, when all the worlds collide
On my path...
Als ich nun wandre auf dem Pfad
Folg' dem Lichte, das mich führt
Als der Taverne ferner Schein
Tief mein ängstlich Herz berührt...
5. In Des Konigs Hallen (Allegretto Siciliano)
6. III - La Terra Santa
So we're all the letters
In a mystical tale
While the hours of my kingdom
Do rapidly fade
Deep clouds bear thunder
Like a dark poem's rhyme
And now is the dawn of all times
Concealed behind old castle walls
Will the grim one return, will Ithiria fall?
"Bring me the seer, may true words he speak"
As nightfall has murdered
the last rays of light
Oh god, don't let my heart be weak tonight
Now as morning nears
Farewell they fear
There is sadness in her eyes
Out on misty ground, as all gathered 'round
And their banners reach the sky
I hope you don't fear
Neither do I
Bring me my sword
And kiss me goodbye
This time I hold you
Here in my arms
Will be the last
When Ithiria falls
When Ithiria falls
3000 men scattered at
the first break of dawn
"Now unleash the dragon
to lead me on"
His wings shall bring
storm to these bloodred skies
And fear will be brought
by the thunderous hooves
Oh horses, so heavy, now ride
Now ride!
Now as morning nears
Farewell they fear
There is sadness in her eyes
Out on misty ground (Affondate la)
As all gathered 'round (In quest'era)
And their banners reach the sky
(Unitevi tutti!)
Unitevi tutti
In questa era
Senza timore
Affondate la lancia
In terra santa
I hope you don't fear
Neither do I
Bring me my sword
And kiss me goodbye
This time I hold you
Here in my arms
Will be the last
When Ithiria falls
When Ithiria falls
Now as morning nears
Farewell she fears
There is anger in their eyes
Out on misty ground
As all gathered 'round
And their banners reach the sky
Unitevi tutti
In questa era
Senza timore
Affondate la lancia
In terra santa
7. Vor Dem Sturme
Marching long and far
Day turns to night
Scattered campfires flicker on three thousand mighty warriors who the sharpen their swords and axes
Never knowing if they will return...
8. Chapter IV - The Sleeping Child
Starlight twinkles mighty
As they celebrate this night
Distant clatter of the horses hooves
Heralds their demise
"Bring oaken barrels, rise your horns
Lay weapons all aside"
A golden shimmer throws its trail
Upon the tavern's light
Mors stupebit et natura
Cum resurget creatura
At midnight's stroke
When two moons rise
And storm awakes
The sleeping child
When two moons unite
Silent tears will fall
Once upon time
Like a dream long ago
The sleeping child
Then a storyteller awakes the realm
Of dragons, wizards, knights
As mighty men and servants
Are sitting round the fire side by side
No one knows the evil
Out of the forest's deep
Mother death is soon to sing
Her melody so sweet
Mors stupebit et natura
Cum resurget creatura
Under the cloak of darkness
And within the dim haze
As mighty and servants shed
Their lifeblood on their blades
When two moons unite
Silent tears will fall
Once upon a time
Like a dream long ago
At midnight's strike
When two moons rise
And storm awakes
The sleeping child
9. Hijo De La Luna
[originally by Mecano]Tonto el que no entienda
Cuenta una leyenda
Que una hembra gitana
Conjuró la luna
Hasta el amanecer
Llorando pedía
Que al llegar el día
Desposara un calé ["Calé" = "Gypsy" in Gypsy jargon]
Tendrás a tu hombre
Piel morena
Desde el cielo habló
La luna llena
Pero a cambio quiero
El hijo primero
Que le engendres a él
Que quien su hijo inmola
Para no estar sola
¿Como le iba a querer?
Luna quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer que te hagan mujer
Dime luna de plata
¿Qué pretendes hacer con un niño de piel?
Hijo de la luna
De padre canela nació un niño
Blanco como el lomo de un armiño
Con los ojos grises en vez de aceituna
Niño albino de luna
Maldita su estampa
Este hijo es de un payo ["Payo" = "non-Gypsy" in Gypsy jargon]
Y yo no me lo cayo
Luna quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer que te hagan mujer
Dime luna de plata
¿Qué pretendes hacer con un niño de piel?
Hijo de la luna
Gitano al creerse deshonrado
Se fue a su mujer cuchillo en mano
¿De quién es el hijo?
Me has engañao fijo
Y de muerte la hirió
Luego se fué al monte
Con el niño en brazos
Y allí le abandonó
Y en las noches que haya luna llena
Será porque el niño esté de buenas
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna
[English translation:]
Son Of The Moon
Fool whom don't understand
Tells a legend
That a gypsy female
Summoned the moon until the break of dawn
Crying she was asking
At the break of dawn
Spouse a gypsy
But in exchange I want
The first of the children
You sire to him
'Cause whom inmoles her son
For not being alone
How was she supposed to love him?
Moon, you want to be a mother
And you can't seem to find wishes
To make you a woman
Tell me silver moon
What do you pretend to do,
With a child made of skin?
Son of the moon
Of cinnamon father born the child
White as the back of a ermine
With the eyes grey
Instead of olive
Albino child of the moon
Cursed your resemblance
This kid is of a non-gypsy
And I don't save it for myself
Gypsy for believing dishonored
Went to his woman with knife at hand
Whose this child?
You have cheated me well
And wounded her deadly
Then he made it to the mountain
With the kid in arms
And there he abandoned him
And when the nights of full moon
Will be 'cause the kid has the mood
And if the child cries
Moon will diminish itself
Just to build him a crib
And if the child cries
Moon will diminish itself
Just to build him a crib
10. On These Endless Fields
Their horses heavy
In clad and chain armor
March into battle
Man against man
Sword against sword
Hammer and axe against shield
Let the banners fly high
Mortal screams pierce the cold air
As steel meets flesh and the strong rule the weak
And then, the great rains set in
And but for a moment it seemed
As if all the blood had been cleansed by the Gods
11. Chapter V - The Hidden Sign
As the rose did nearly wither
The five ones might have failed
Then hearts would turn to iron
And gradual night'd prevail
Fear did wrap the land
The mighty mourning bells are stirred
And northern winds carry their screams
To a place they'll never be heard
Beneath a moonless sky
Within the candles light
Runestones witnessed a thousand years
Archaic rites
Of taken lives
Let the circle be the gate!
Secret rhymes
A parchment full of signs
Written in the book, so long ago
Gives mortal power to the ones defiled
Withered life
Becomes revived
Let the circle be... the gate!
Als des Nordwinds schaurig Flüstern
Hüllt wie Schatten ein mein Herz
Kälte längst erfror'ner Tränen
Welch entrissen mir mit Schmerz
Quantus tremor est futurus
Quando Judex est venturus
Cuncta stricte discussurus
As the clouds divide
And starlight falls
On sacred grounds
The eternal call
Now see the light
As the druids rise
To the one that has been born
With the hidden mark of the unicorn
As sigh of those who descent from
royal blood
For thou shalt ride, do never rest
And search the beast that
keeps the magic chest
Unleash the secret that slumbers
In the dark
Reveal the hidden mark!
As the moons last rays
Slowly fade away
Where the peeks meet the
sky horizon is in flames
Clouded seas and gusty trees
Let the circle be the gate
At the awaking of the sun
The ritual is done
Another place, another time
The galleon will rise again
The druids' bane slumbers again
Let the circle be the gate
Als des Nordwinds schaurig Flüstern
Hüllt wie Schatten ein mein Herz
Kälte längst erfror'ner Tränen
Welch entrissen mir mit Schmerz
Quantus tremor est futurus
Quando Judex est venturus
Cuncta stricte discussurus
As the clouds divide
And starlight falls
On sacred grounds
The eternal call
Now see the light
As the druids rise
Line-up:
Asis Nasseri : Vocals / Growls / Guitars
Danny Klupp : Acoustic Guitars
Florian Schnellinger : Bass / Vocals
Andi Nad : Bass
Hans Wolf : Piano / Cembalo / Keyboards
Luz Marsen : Drums / Kettledrums
Susanne : Soprano
Kathrin Hertz : Cello
Steffi Hertz : Viola
Kerstin Krainer : Violin
Robert Müller : Clarinet
Christoph v. Zastrow : Flute
Bartl : Oboe
Kathrin Pechlof : Harp
Fiffi Fuhrmann : Crumhorn
2008 Drakkar Records
Lyrics in plain text format
