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bedlamsbardFrom the library of Professor Cornelius, tutor to Prince Caspian of Telmar. Excerpts from Traditional Narnian Music, Vol. II: Of and Relating to the Golden Age of Narnia, collected by Vaspiral of Telmar in the Telmar Year 167. (Book was found on Cornelius's desk following the rise of Miraz I as King of Telmar and Narnia.)
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan”
Now Peter was a noble king, brave and strong and fair,
Lucy was a healer, with her arrows light as air
And Edmund was the second son, the High King’s voice and arm
Queen Susan was called gentle, but she also would do harm!
Edmund took ship for foreign lands, with Lucy at his side.
Queen Susan was at Cair Paravel, the country hers to tide.
In the West there was the High King, fighting bandits, fighting trolls.
And it could have been another way, but so the dice did roll.
The night that Susan was left alone, blood spilled upon the stone
Queen Susan blew her magic horn and shot her mighty bow,
And inside the walls of the white castle many brave warriors fell.
And a warning came across the land – a traitor in Cair Paravel!
Now the High King Peter was at war, trusting home and hearth to kin
But when he heard his sister’s horn, he knew he’d fight to win.
He snatched sword and shield and armor and dagger and axe
And by the time the sun was high there was nought to see but tracks.
The traitor was a noble lord who’d fought at Peter’s side
And knew he must kill Susan or for treason he’d be tried.
The High King staked traitor heads on the high castle walls.
But even as he thought this death stalked the castle halls.
Now inside Cair Paravel another castle hid
And only High King Peter knew where its secrets led.
Into this second castle he went with sword in hand
And one by one slew the traitor’s savage band.
The traitor knew that all dying were his kind
And knew that he had not long ‘fore Peter he did find
Up upon the white walls he dragged the Queen of Spring
Swore her death would serve the crimes of Peter the High King.
And below the wall all Narnia rallied to its queen
Fauns, centaurs, dwarves and all upon the fields of green.
“The blood of a queen for the flesh of a queen. Die and come again!”
And square upon his crooked face looked the gentle Queen Susan.
“Your men are dead by my brother’s hand. I am the Lion’s own.
“I swear your blood will never end if you spill mine in my home.”
The traitor laughed and shouted loud, “I’ll kill the High King too.”
And in the court below Peter drew back his arm and threw.
The axe cleft flesh and bone and took the traitor’s hand
And away the hand went flying, into air and into sand.
And Susan turned and took his sword to cut the traitor’s throat
And coldly watched his head fall, over stone and into moat.
As she stood upon the wall, a cheer rose down below
As if the traitor’s death had been once more the end of snow.
The High King up beside her came and clasped her tight in hand
And thus they stood upon the wall, two rulers of the land!
The High King is a brave man, with a lion’s strength in hand
And Edmund is his brother’s clever second in command
Healer Lucy is as fearless as a lion on the field
But gentle Susan is a queen as well, and, like a lion, never yields!
Commentary by Vaspiral of Telmar, Royal Historian, Telmar Year 158
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is believed to date from the early years of the Golden Age. Although the exact date of the incident has been lost to time, most historians date it to 1005, since Lone Islander records note that Prince Edmund and Princess-Consort Lucy (referred to as "King" and "Queen") arrived by galley in the harbor at Avra on Doorn some one year after High King Peter and Prince Edmund defeated the self-proclaimed King of the Lone Islands, the minotaur Arglorn. It was at this point also that Peter was in the midst of his campaign on Narnia’s western border beyond Lantern Waste; the campaign has been dated to have lasted between one and five years.
Several versions of this ballad have been identified, and alternate titles include “The Ride of the High King”, “The Traitor’s Bane”, and “The Queen in the Castle.” Of these versions, “The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is the shortest, and is commonly believed to be the least complete. “The Traitor’s Bane” is considered to be closest in character, since “The Ride of the High King” deals mainly with High King Peter’s journey to Cair Paravel and “The Queen in the Castle” likewise concentrates on Queen Susan’s captivity. Both “The Ungentling of Queen Susan” and “The Traitor’s Bane” deal with the broader scale of the incident, which is not noted in any official Narnian history that has been found at this time.
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is curious in that it identifies a fourth member of the Narnian Royal Family, the healer Lucy. Most Telmarine history identifies only three members: High King Peter (the so-called King of Summer), Queen Susan (identified here as Peter’s sister, but usually as his wife; she is also called the Queen of Spring), and Prince Edmund, Peter’s younger brother. Although the name Lucy occurs in several other Narnian ballads of the time, her role in the Royal Family is unclear. Most historians believe that she was probably Edmund’s wife and held the rank of Princess-Consort.
Some of the veracity of this ballad has been doubted because of the mention of the citizens of Narnia including “fauns, centaurs, dwarves, and all”, creatures whose existence go counter to the common belief of Peter’s campaign to wipe Narnia clean. However, this common belief is false, since it is well-known that Peter ruled all of Narnia, men and beasts alike, and it was the beasts that led him astray and led to the Royal Family’s murder in the woods around Lantern Waste. It has also been postulated that the creatures’ presence here is not as supporters of Queen Susan, but as supporters of the unidentified traitor, who hoped to raise Queen Jadis (defeated by Peter, and commonly known as the White Witch) from the dead by killing Susan in ritual sacrifice.
The horn blown by Queen Susan in the third verse, which Peter hears from the other side of the country, is likely the magic horn of Queen Susan, which was believed to be able to summon the High King of Narnia at any time. Certainly other similar ballads also include the mention of the horn of Queen Susan summoning High King Peter from as far away as Calormen and the Lone Islands. Likely this is hyperbole, since it is impossible for a single horn to be heard over such a long distance; more likely messengers were sent carrying the seal of Queen Susan, which was the Royal Seal of Narnia crossed with a bow and horn.
This ballad was transcribed in the Telmar Year 27 by Terespin the Scrivener. His source is believed to be a Narnian centaur captured by King Caspian II (then Prince Caspian) and executed along with some thirty other native Narnians.
“Prayer for the Return of the High King”
King of summer
Lord of spring
Grant us joy and return our king
High King of Kings
Your chains release
Answer our call and bring us peace
Peter, Susan,
Edmund, Lucy
King and Queens and great High King
As you once did
Answer us now
Come again to Aslan’s How
Blow the horn
And call our king
Let his name from mountains ring
Return to us
Or so we sing
Be great, be just, and bring us spring
Blow the queen’s horn
Wake from slumber
And bring back the King of Summer!
Narnian folksong, believed to originate from the Great Autumn that followed the Golden Age of Narnia (often called the Great Summer). It most likely refers to the mysterious disappearance of the High King and his consorts. It was believed that if the lost horn of Queen Susan was ever blown, then the High King Peter (called “The Magnificent” as well as “the King of Summer”) would return to Narnia along with his siblings Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy.
Origin, transcriber, and transcription date unknown. Song and original commentary copied from personal journal found in ruins of Narnian castle. Points of interest in the commentary include the identification of Queen Susan, Prince Edmund, and Princess-Consort Lucy as Peter’s siblings, as well as their ranks as King and Queens, and the “mysterious disappearance” of the High King, which most historians accept as his assassination by Narnian rebels in the woods of western Narnia.
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan”
Now Peter was a noble king, brave and strong and fair,
Lucy was a healer, with her arrows light as air
And Edmund was the second son, the High King’s voice and arm
Queen Susan was called gentle, but she also would do harm!
Edmund took ship for foreign lands, with Lucy at his side.
Queen Susan was at Cair Paravel, the country hers to tide.
In the West there was the High King, fighting bandits, fighting trolls.
And it could have been another way, but so the dice did roll.
The night that Susan was left alone, blood spilled upon the stone
Queen Susan blew her magic horn and shot her mighty bow,
And inside the walls of the white castle many brave warriors fell.
And a warning came across the land – a traitor in Cair Paravel!
Now the High King Peter was at war, trusting home and hearth to kin
But when he heard his sister’s horn, he knew he’d fight to win.
He snatched sword and shield and armor and dagger and axe
And by the time the sun was high there was nought to see but tracks.
The traitor was a noble lord who’d fought at Peter’s side
And knew he must kill Susan or for treason he’d be tried.
The High King staked traitor heads on the high castle walls.
But even as he thought this death stalked the castle halls.
Now inside Cair Paravel another castle hid
And only High King Peter knew where its secrets led.
Into this second castle he went with sword in hand
And one by one slew the traitor’s savage band.
The traitor knew that all dying were his kind
And knew that he had not long ‘fore Peter he did find
Up upon the white walls he dragged the Queen of Spring
Swore her death would serve the crimes of Peter the High King.
And below the wall all Narnia rallied to its queen
Fauns, centaurs, dwarves and all upon the fields of green.
“The blood of a queen for the flesh of a queen. Die and come again!”
And square upon his crooked face looked the gentle Queen Susan.
“Your men are dead by my brother’s hand. I am the Lion’s own.
“I swear your blood will never end if you spill mine in my home.”
The traitor laughed and shouted loud, “I’ll kill the High King too.”
And in the court below Peter drew back his arm and threw.
The axe cleft flesh and bone and took the traitor’s hand
And away the hand went flying, into air and into sand.
And Susan turned and took his sword to cut the traitor’s throat
And coldly watched his head fall, over stone and into moat.
As she stood upon the wall, a cheer rose down below
As if the traitor’s death had been once more the end of snow.
The High King up beside her came and clasped her tight in hand
And thus they stood upon the wall, two rulers of the land!
The High King is a brave man, with a lion’s strength in hand
And Edmund is his brother’s clever second in command
Healer Lucy is as fearless as a lion on the field
But gentle Susan is a queen as well, and, like a lion, never yields!
Commentary by Vaspiral of Telmar, Royal Historian, Telmar Year 158
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is believed to date from the early years of the Golden Age. Although the exact date of the incident has been lost to time, most historians date it to 1005, since Lone Islander records note that Prince Edmund and Princess-Consort Lucy (referred to as "King" and "Queen") arrived by galley in the harbor at Avra on Doorn some one year after High King Peter and Prince Edmund defeated the self-proclaimed King of the Lone Islands, the minotaur Arglorn. It was at this point also that Peter was in the midst of his campaign on Narnia’s western border beyond Lantern Waste; the campaign has been dated to have lasted between one and five years.
Several versions of this ballad have been identified, and alternate titles include “The Ride of the High King”, “The Traitor’s Bane”, and “The Queen in the Castle.” Of these versions, “The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is the shortest, and is commonly believed to be the least complete. “The Traitor’s Bane” is considered to be closest in character, since “The Ride of the High King” deals mainly with High King Peter’s journey to Cair Paravel and “The Queen in the Castle” likewise concentrates on Queen Susan’s captivity. Both “The Ungentling of Queen Susan” and “The Traitor’s Bane” deal with the broader scale of the incident, which is not noted in any official Narnian history that has been found at this time.
“The Ungentling of Queen Susan” is curious in that it identifies a fourth member of the Narnian Royal Family, the healer Lucy. Most Telmarine history identifies only three members: High King Peter (the so-called King of Summer), Queen Susan (identified here as Peter’s sister, but usually as his wife; she is also called the Queen of Spring), and Prince Edmund, Peter’s younger brother. Although the name Lucy occurs in several other Narnian ballads of the time, her role in the Royal Family is unclear. Most historians believe that she was probably Edmund’s wife and held the rank of Princess-Consort.
Some of the veracity of this ballad has been doubted because of the mention of the citizens of Narnia including “fauns, centaurs, dwarves, and all”, creatures whose existence go counter to the common belief of Peter’s campaign to wipe Narnia clean. However, this common belief is false, since it is well-known that Peter ruled all of Narnia, men and beasts alike, and it was the beasts that led him astray and led to the Royal Family’s murder in the woods around Lantern Waste. It has also been postulated that the creatures’ presence here is not as supporters of Queen Susan, but as supporters of the unidentified traitor, who hoped to raise Queen Jadis (defeated by Peter, and commonly known as the White Witch) from the dead by killing Susan in ritual sacrifice.
The horn blown by Queen Susan in the third verse, which Peter hears from the other side of the country, is likely the magic horn of Queen Susan, which was believed to be able to summon the High King of Narnia at any time. Certainly other similar ballads also include the mention of the horn of Queen Susan summoning High King Peter from as far away as Calormen and the Lone Islands. Likely this is hyperbole, since it is impossible for a single horn to be heard over such a long distance; more likely messengers were sent carrying the seal of Queen Susan, which was the Royal Seal of Narnia crossed with a bow and horn.
This ballad was transcribed in the Telmar Year 27 by Terespin the Scrivener. His source is believed to be a Narnian centaur captured by King Caspian II (then Prince Caspian) and executed along with some thirty other native Narnians.
“Prayer for the Return of the High King”
King of summer
Lord of spring
Grant us joy and return our king
High King of Kings
Your chains release
Answer our call and bring us peace
Peter, Susan,
Edmund, Lucy
King and Queens and great High King
As you once did
Answer us now
Come again to Aslan’s How
Blow the horn
And call our king
Let his name from mountains ring
Return to us
Or so we sing
Be great, be just, and bring us spring
Blow the queen’s horn
Wake from slumber
And bring back the King of Summer!
Narnian folksong, believed to originate from the Great Autumn that followed the Golden Age of Narnia (often called the Great Summer). It most likely refers to the mysterious disappearance of the High King and his consorts. It was believed that if the lost horn of Queen Susan was ever blown, then the High King Peter (called “The Magnificent” as well as “the King of Summer”) would return to Narnia along with his siblings Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy.
Origin, transcriber, and transcription date unknown. Song and original commentary copied from personal journal found in ruins of Narnian castle. Points of interest in the commentary include the identification of Queen Susan, Prince Edmund, and Princess-Consort Lucy as Peter’s siblings, as well as their ranks as King and Queens, and the “mysterious disappearance” of the High King, which most historians accept as his assassination by Narnian rebels in the woods of western Narnia.