Korsvag Coronet Tourney

Wyndreth Berginsdottir

A Song in Honor of Those Who Fought That Day

Words/music c. 1996 K. Kahan

Chorus: Hear the wind sing, as it walks in the trees,
Of the heroes assembled in Korsvag!

From far and from farther,
the moon full to guide them,
they journey to Korsvag
when summer is new.
Beneath ancient witness
of oak and of elm tree,
they make camp and sleep well—
as the pure-hearted do.

When dawning sun summons,
they rise and don armor
in the name of the ladies
whose honor they bear.
Girded in steel and
the light of the righteous,
they wend to the clearing
and the list-field there.

The Stellar Ones called with
the voice of the Northshield
and these men have answered—
strong, brave, wise and true.
For the future of Northshield,
in step with their ladies,
they stride forth—as champions
of right and good do.

Sir Wulfgang the pious,
Lord Richard the Red,
Serjant Arslan, and
His Grace, Conn MacNeill;
Lord Robin Kyrke, and
Sir Searic Scireham,
and Lord Leif Greyfox;
take up sword and shield.

Lord Sigfried Schneepanther,
Lord Adrien DeTroyes,
Lord Olaf Blodhox,
and Lord Vladimir;
mirthful Lord Niklos
and Lord Talon:
each honor the summons
that gathered them here.

With the skill of the eagle
and the speed of the adder,
with the courage and strength
of the lion and bear,
with clear head and judgment,
with wit and good humor,
each one stood the list-field
and hallowed it, there.

The only blood shed
was the sweat of the earnest.
The only one killed
was the one called Ill Will.
The only tears shed
were of pride and of laughter.
As kinsmen they fought,
and remain kinsmen, still.

Duke Conn won the field
for his true heart, Kassandra—
a lady with hands wise
with horse, earth and steel.
But all must agree that
each man was victorious,
a hero of Northshield
in word and in deed.

Now all Northshield sleeps
‘neath a new moon and changing,
secure in the Stellar Ones’
vigilant hands.
Quiet, their rest,
and gentle, their dreaming,
for future and past are born
loved from this land!

Wyndreth's note--This was written about the second Coronet Tourney of Northshield, the tournament held by TSHs Dafydd and Gwyneth to determine Their heirs. It was held in Korsvag, in an open-air pavillion under the trees in a beautiful park along the river. Sir Tarrach was roasting a pig onsite, and the smell of it was incredibly good, woven through the day's events.

It was an amazing tournament; saying it was a laid-back tourney might wrongly give you the impression that the entrants weren't taking the outcome seriously--which they absolutely did. But there was a wonderful atmosphere about it--clearly each entrant was enjoying himself and each fight for its own sake. Each entrant proved he could fight well and hard and still have a great deal of fun, and that an opponent is not the same thing as an enemy. It was pristinely clean, and well-fought, and each entrant honored his opponent and the person he fought for by his chivalry and his joie de vivre.

It is a shining magical moment in Northshield's history; I feel honored to have witnessed it, and I thank each combatant and the one who inspired him for the experience.

This page maintained by Cerian Cantwr, cerian@minstrel.com.