Editing Calontir Stands Alone

From Katriana's Songbook - <span style="line-height: 1.5;">http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/calontirstands.htm :</span>
=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Calontir Stands Alone</span>= 
''<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 80%;">Words: [[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/brom.htm|Brom Blackhand]]</span>''
''<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 80%;">Tune: Johnny Comes Marching Home</span>''
''<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 80%;">Source: [[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/calonsong.htm|Calon Song]]</span>''
''<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 80%;">[[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/filksongfolio.htm|A Filksong Folio]]</span>''
''<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 80%;">[[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/johnnymarchinghome.mid|MIDI file]] / [[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/johnnymarchinghome.nwc|NWC file]] / [[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/calontirstandsalone.txt|History]] / [[http://www.calonsong.org/CalontirSongs/calontirstandsalone.pdf|PDF file]] </span>''

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">O, Ladies and Lords of Calontir, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Please gather around and lend an ear, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">O, gather around and lend an ear, </span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">I'll sing you a song of Calontir,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And you all shall know why Calontir stands alone.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">We're far from the Northwoods Barony, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And damn near as far from Treegirt Sea, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And Rivenstar with its flag unfurled</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Is damn near the other side of the world,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">O, that's one good reason that Calontir stands alone.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">We haven't got belted chivalry, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Just good old unbelted fighters, we, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And on battlefields many we've stood the test,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Proved our bravery, skill, and our honor's the best,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">We shall smite our foes till Calontir stands alone.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Our tourneys and feasts to none compare, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And good times with us are far from rare, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Let all come to us, for our food is good,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And there's merry song in our halls and woods,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">That's just one more reason why Calontir stands alone.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">O, Ladies and Lords of Calontir, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Put your hearts into what you do this year, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">And in the end the world will see,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">A merry Principality,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">On that bright high day when Calontir stands alone.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">''This song has often been called the national anthem of Calontir. Brom wrote it on a napkin to fill out an arts competition way back when Calontir was a region. It is usually sung at about a march tempo. Verses 3 and 4 take some practice to fit in all the syllables. Since this song was written so long ago Brom has updated it. I have not heard of anyone writing a new last verse since we became a kingdom.''</span>


<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">''When we became a Principality, two verses changed:''</span>
> We've got our own brand of chivalry, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,
> We fight for the love of battle, we, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,
> And on battlefields many we've stood the test,
> Proved our bravery, skill, and our honor's the best,
> We shall smite our foes till Calontir stands alone.


> O, Ladies and Lords of Calontir, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,
> Put your hearts into what you do this year, Waes Hael, Drink Hael,
> And in the end the world will see,
> A kingdom proud and strong and free,
> On that bright high day when Calontir stands alone.


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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">YouTube Video of Master Erich Hlodowechssun fon Hocheichhallu singing around the fire. Recorded at Bardic Bedlam in the Village of Puddleford in the Barony of Three Rivers in the Kingdom on Calontir, May 21, 2011. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">http://youtu.be/oA6Tbq_EdYY</span>

== From Master Crag ==
Calontir Stands Alone                                  

''(guitar accompaniment, playing the melody softly of CSA. Then dropping back to quiet background chords)''

 A long time ago, there lived a smith in the Barony of Three Rivers who made his way as an armorer and bladesmith of no little skill. His hands could mold iron: forging and shaping it to suit himself and those he called friend.

As cunning as he was with iron, he wrought words even better to kindle the hearts of his listeners. When the evenings grew late and the air grew chill,  while the fire flared and flickered around the circle, the spirit of his ancestor sometimes came over him, and Brom Blackhand would sing tales of the northern lands. Then our hearts would be filled with heroic sagas of  dragon ships raiding from sea and battles on the strand.

I first met Brom at a post-revel many years ago in Standing Stones. Our seneschal had taken a shine to this short burly smith and made sure he came often to help our struggling young shire make armor and hold fighter practices. About that time Brom and Kyrieth- who will forever be known as Kinky Troll or the Spandex Baroness- became lovers. Their romance became famous and their exploits were the envy of even that liberated time.

Brom was an iconoclast, an image breaker, a shit stirrer, a rabble rouser, a trouble maker, or a great patriot depending on who you asked. He was and is too plain spoken and impatient for these later, dare I say …..almost Midrealm….times….

Well, once upon a time it happened that Brom went to fight in a tourney nursing  a wounded hand. As the Norns wove his fate, that day he was early retired, but had not his lady to attend. So it was that when he was asked to write a song to for a contest held later that day, he assented.

On a trestle table in the mead hall he sat down to write, and for the space of half an hour he poured out his love for Calontir, his chafing ire at the Middle Kingdom, and his readiness to be away on our own. Thus was born the national anthem of Calontir:

(hear play and Marcus sing the First Verse)

'''My Ladies and Lords of Calontir,        Waes Hael, Waes Hael!'''

'''Come gather around and lend a ear,    Waes Hael, Drink Hael!'''

'''Oh gather around and lend an ear'''

'''I’ll sing you a song of Calontir'''                                    

''( sing broadly with minor dip)''

'''And you all shall know why Calontir stands alone.'''

At that time the Middle Kingdom, of which we were a region, was enormous. Once it spanned all the lands between the East and West Kingdoms. In the early years of Calontir it still spanned that breadth, less the Atenveldt principalities of Meredies and Ansteorra, and was still four times larger and five times more populated than Calontir itself. The largest and least populated regions were Calontir, Eoforwic, and Northshield, while the rest of the kingdom was relatively smaller and more populated.

The Middle Kingdom had two founding groups- Northwoods in East Lansing Michigan, and Tree Girt Sea in Chicago. The early history of the Middle is the history of these two groups struggling for power, with the emergence of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois at about the time Calontir was borne. Rivenstar in Indiana was the home of Moonwulf who had recently sat the throne, and was a friend to Calontir.

'''We’re far from the Northwoods Barony,   Waes Hael, Waes Hael'''

'''And damn near as far from Tree Girt Sea,   Waes Hael, Drink Hael'''

'''And Rivenstar with its flag unfurled'''

'''Is damn near the other side of the world'''

'''And that’s one good reason that Calontir Stands Alone'''.

And so we were, for all practical purposes left to develop on our own, for the Mississippi River was a great psychological barrier to travelers from the rest of the Midrealm- not unlike, alas, it has become for us traveling east nowadays. For this reason, we felt rejected and ignored. We felt our arts, our sciences, and our fighting were as good as anybody’s. Given how much we had accomplished in so short a time, we had a right to be proud of our work. If we were not yet as good as we proclaimed ourselves to be, our momentum soon carried us there. It chafed that in all of Calontir, the Middle had only recognized one Laurel, and there were no Companions of the Pelican.

'''Our tourneys and feasts to none compare     Waes Hael, Waes Hael'''

'''And good times are far from rare with us      Waes Hael, Drink Hael'''

'''So come to us for our food is good'''

'''There’s a merry song in our hall and wood'''

'''And that’s one more reason why Calontir Stands Alone!'''

Our fighting, too, had made great strides. A few like Brummbar and Ternon were contenders if they fought in Crown Tourney, and others like Bellwood, Chepe, and Humpk were not far behind. Yet there was a pervasive feeling that our fighters were looked down on by the Midrealm Chivalry, and that some of the Chivalry had it in for Ternon and Humpk. Imagine that in all of Calontir there was not a single Knight or Master of Arms. Our Huscarls were formed to be the Chivalry that the Chivalry wouldn’t recognize. Unbelted Knights.

'''We haven’t got belted chivalry              Waes Hael, Waes Hael'''

'''We fight for the love of battle we          Waes Hael, Drink Hael'''

'''But on battlefield many we’ve stood the test'''

'''Proved our bravery skill and honor the best'''

'''We shall smite our foes till Calontir Stands Alone.'''

And then he wrapped it up and threw it back in our face. He cast down the gauntlet. Because he knew no one would do it for us, it was up to each one of us to go out and make Calontir a principality and thereafter, a kingdom. Brom asked nothing more from us, than he himself already gave. Today we are a kingdom proud and strong and free. Sometimes people ask why this song is important. Without it I think we would still be a part of the Middle Kingdom, we would still be waiting for someone else to do our work for us. “For Calontir to be a kingdom, it must act like one.”

'''My Ladies and Lords of Calontir                      Waes Hael, Waes Hael'''

'''Put your hearts into what you do this year       Waes Hael, Drink Hael'''

'''And in the end I think we’ll see'''

'''A Merry Principality'''

'''On that high bright day'''

'''When Calontir Stands Alone!'''

My Ladies and Lords of Calontir, in recent years it became politically incorrect to sing this song for fear of offending our friends and allies in other kingdoms. Then it became politically incorrect to sing it because the new bards knew nothing of what it meant, how important it had been to our history. And the old ones ceased to teach the new ones the lessons we had so dearly bought. Ancient good became uncouth.

Woe to us, for we have become so insular we no longer see or hear what goes on in other kingdoms. Little wonder that the Army muster is down, and we struggle on the field with our opponents- for we no longer look beyond our own circle. Little do we heed what others do and say, what tactics their armies are learning, while relying on our reputation to carry us.

More and more we have come to resemble the Middle Kingdom we left: so status quo, so little aware or caring about the great world out there around us. If we would regain that edge, if we would be again the preeminent kingdom at war, then we must get hungry- find that lost fire in the belly. We must again study the world outside our borders. Those who lead us must make the glory of Calontir their glory. Those who would stay home and live off the fat of the land should step aside and let a new generation of fighters gain renown, carrying the Falcon Banner before them.

Baron Crag Duggan

Master of the Pelican

Thegn Giligan and Adelith

Grimfells, Calontir

Twelfth Day of January AS XXXI

== From Stefan's Florilegium ==
''<span style="line-height: 1.5;">http%3A</span>''www.florilegium.org/files/STORIES/Calontir-hst-msg.html:

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">From: "Niewoehner, Hugh"</span> 

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Date: December 4, 2009 5:14:30 AM CST</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Period Anthems WAS Re: Treason</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">While I’d think of Song of the Shield Wall as more of an SCA anthem. Go to almost any kingdom and start singing it folks will gather.</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">In early years I’d think Brom’s “Calontir Stands Alone” was bloody close to being the unofficial anthem. I still have an old email Crag posted to the list describing its genesis [see above] and written as a call for those in these later days to remember those things which motivated us in the beginning. It’s a real rabble rouser who’s purpose may not be needed today but it’s still a good song and bloody fun to sing. There are others trying to find or create a similar unifying spark in their areas of the world.</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">HE Damon</span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">'''<span style="color: #6c6c6c; font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">From: </span>'''<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">"Niewoehner, Hugh"</span></span> 

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">'''<span style="color: #6c6c6c; font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span>'''<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">December 4, 2009 4:10:41 PM CST</span></span>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">'''<span style="color: #6c6c6c; font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">To: </span>'''<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Stefan li Rous</span></span> 

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6c6c6c; font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Subject: </span><span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">RE: [CALONTIR] Period Anthems WAS Re: Treason</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Here you go Stefan,</span>

[story already told above, omitted]

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">And the thoroughly withdrawn from the SCA Brom Blackhand now lives in Salisaw, OK making his living as a first rate gunsmith.</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">There are still many characters from those days still active and on the </span><span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">Calon list. Alban, Fernando, and Pavel [RIP] just to name a few.</span>

<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;">Regards,</span>
<span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10pt;"> Damon</span>
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