Berserkr Seven beach-heads I did raze With vikings, fierce, in ships ablaze. Seven wounds did I sustain But I did feel no pain. Seven lies by Loki told, Bewitched our craft in search of gold. Upon the shore a snare was laid, An army unprepared, but paid. My axe and sword were hard to hold, Beslicked with blood and mad for gold. But strange, the battle, for it's end, For I beheld no foe, nor friend. Corpses waved in bloody waves Yet no one lived to win the day. But I alone beheld this tale That's better heard with gulden ale. But when the pain of steel awoke, I knew that this was not my hope Of gilded halls in fields of green, And loving hosts with horns of mead. But gold I found and lost again, For what beheld I can not send By ink and page, nor skaldic poem, But music might suffice, alone. For gold I found in mountains deep, But on that hoard a thing did sleep That chills me to my viking bones, And brings me here to drink alone. A witch's map and crow's bleak song Led me on for far and long, And more I'll tell without a laugh If you would pour another draft.

Red Crow From the womb of the bloody battle A single crow emerged. It was red, like vermillion. I followed it across bottomless gorges, Through impassable jungles, Over frost rimed spires, And down mile-high cliffs To the haunted marsh of Baba Yaga.

Baba Yaga's Hut She is not as we were told; Hair of white that once was gold, Eyes of green, an angel's face, But exhiled in this lonely place. She fed me well and gave me drink, But into sleep I would not sink, For I feared that witch's spell But in the night she knew me well. But of course, there was a price; A deed requiring sacrifice Of time and strength, blood and seed, But she did give what I would need; A map of mountains great and high That did well reach beyond the sky, But also delved into the deep Beneath the roots where Nidhogg sleeps. And the the task, at last she told, That if I live, will tire of gold; A dragon's hoard of from aeons deep If I slay the Wyrm, will reap. But I must slay it when it sleeps...

Gulden Draak From bitter dregs in mountains deep I found the path the Wyrm did creep; Beneath the pits from fallen trees And caverns carved from mountain streams. I travelled down into the night That's darker than a light is light, But tarried once to reconsider The vastness of a task so bitter. And once I came upon the hall That loomed beyond with acrid pall, And saw the scoring of it's breath, I knew the fear of certain death. And through the smoke I came at last To see a terror, great and vast, And knew that never could that hoard Be separated from it's lord. A golden hoard beyond my dreams With artifacts from ages deep. In the wan light of my brand, The riches of a starving land; Sceptres, shields and ancient swords, Helms and cups of ancient lords, Treasure chests of magic rings, Thrones and crowns of ancient kings. Could I win with sword and spear 'Gainst the very cause of fear That haunts the dreams of all that live And takes beyond the skill to give? But then it spoke and what I heard Was spoken with no thought nor word, But boomed throughout the shadows deep Like thunder rolling while you sleep. Let me tell you what it said, As I can't get it from my head, Because I pillage all the world For gold and jewels, gems and pearls. "True, I could devour thee, But I'm a slave and you are free. No magic chain could man devise To keep me from the moonlit skies. But here you have my paradox; A dragon's wealth, a thousand locks, A dragon serves no living lord, But serves it's shining, lifeless hoard." It gave a choice to wear the grave Or wear this torc to be it's slave. For that hoard it could not leave. Chained it was, by all it's greed. But this torc, he didn't know Allows the Thing to come and go, And take control of human form Or travel like a mighty storm. And when the mortal shell expires, Again the golden wyrm retires. For in that ancient vault was locked The ancient, evil Gulden Draak. But here I am, and soon you'll see That more is all I ever need. Am I a slave. or am I free? How did I leave so easily? The ale is gone, I've drained the well And by my arm ring, truth I tell, That now the Gulden Draak is free For I am the dragon and the dragon is me.

I. Berserkr Seven beach-heads I did raze With vikings, fierce, in ships ablaze. Seven wounds did I sustain But I did feel no pain. Seven lies by Loki told, Bewitched our craft in search of gold. Upon the shore a snare was laid, An army unprepared, but paid. My axe and sword were hard to hold, Beslicked with blood and mad for gold. But strange, the battle, for it's end, For I beheld no foe nor friend. Corpses waved in bloody waves Yet no one lived to win the day. But I alone beheld this tale That's better heard with gulden ale. But when the pain of steel awoke, I knew that this was not my hope Of gilded halls in fields of green, And loving hosts with horns of mead. But gold I found and lost again, For what beheld I can not send By ink and page, nor skaldic poem, But music might suffice, alone. For gold I found in mountains deep, But on that hoard a thing did sleep That chills me to my viking bones, And brings me here to drink alone. A witch's map and crow's bleak song Led me on for far and long, And more I'll tell without a laugh If you would pour another draft. II. Red Crow From the womb of the bloody battle A single crow emerged. It was red, like vermillion. I followed it across bottomless gorges, Through impassable jungles, Over frost rimed spires, And down mile-high cliffs To the haunted marsh of Baba Yaga. III. Baba Yaga’s Hut She is not as we were told; Hair of white that once was gold, Eyes of green, an angel's face, But exhiled in this lonely place. She fed me well and gave me drink, But into sleep I would not sink, For I feared that witch's spell, But in the night she knew me well. But of course, there was a price; A deed requiring sacrifice Of time and strength, blood and seed, But she did give what I would need; A map of mountains great and high That did well reach beyond the sky, But also delved into the deep, Beneath the roots where Nidhogg sleeps. And the the task, at last she told, That if I live, will tire of gold; A dragon's hoard of from aeons deep, If I slay the Wyrm, will reap. But I must slay it when it sleeps... IV. Gulden Draak From bitter dregs in mountains deep I found the path the Wyrm did creep; Beneath the pits from fallen trees And caverns carved from mountain streams. I travelled down into the night That's darker than a light is light, But tarried once to reconsider The vastness of a task so bitter. And once I came upon the hall That loomed beyond with acrid pall, And saw the scoring of it's breath, I knew the fear of certain death. And through the smoke I came at last To see a terror, great and vast, And knew that never could that hoard Be separated from it's lord. A golden hoard beyond my dreams With artifacts from ages deep. In the wan light of my brand, The riches of a starving land; Sceptres, shields and ancient swords, Helms and cups of ancient lords, Treasure chests of magic rings, Thrones and crowns of ancient kings. Could I win with sword and spear 'Gainst the very cause of fear That haunts the dreams of all that live And takes beyond the skill to give? But then it spoke and what I heard Was spoken with no thought nor word, But boomed throughout the shadows deep Like thunder rolling while you sleep. Let me tell you what it said, As I can't r'move it from my head, Because I pillage all the world For gold and jewels, gems and pearls. "True, I could devour thee, But I'm a slave and you are free. No magic chain could man devise To keep me from the moonlit skies. But here you have my paradox; A dragon's wealth, a thousand locks, A dragon serves no living lord, But serves it's shining, lifeless hoard." It gave a choice to wear the grave Or wear this torc to be its slave. For that hoard it could not leave. Chained it was, by all its greed. But this torc, he didn't know, Allows the Thing to come and go, And take control of human form, Or travel like a mighty storm. And when the mortal shell expires, Again the golden wyrm retires. For in that ancient vault was locked The ancient, evil Gulden Draak. But here I am, and soon you'll see That more is all I ever need. Am I a slave, or am I free? How did I leave so easily? Your ale is gone, I've drained the well, But by my arm-ring, truth I tell, That now the Gulden Draak is free, For I am the dragon and the dragon is me.