[Narrator:]
In olden times a castle proud and true
Shone across the land to the ocean blue
There sat a mighty king once, victorious and renowned
With ashen face upon his throne, he glowered and he frowned
His only thought was terror and wrath his only mood
His words were scourge and cudgel, his signature was blood
The hour is upon us, a noble minstrel pair
From journeys long returning to the castle fair
Beneath the lofty pillars the minstrels can be seen
Upon the throne are seated the monarch and his queen
They summon all their power, evoking joy and pain
The king's heart now is stony, they'll make it soft again
The king is awe-inspiring like bloody northern light
The queen is sweet and gentle just like the moon at night

[The song:]
Times of youth may vanish, yet memory will stay
Like a radiant rainbow banishes all dismal clouds away
My anguish shuns the rainbow's gleam. Lest the memory depart
Tell me, do childhood's dreams still linger in your heart?

[The king:]
You sang and wisely ser your words, that you may reap your just rewards!
I'll sing you a legend of the test that was decided by the sword
When only blood could pay for blood, those are the songs I like the best!

[Narrator:]
As though by storm wind scattered is gone the listener's host
The young man in his master's arm has given up his ghost

[The harpist:]
I curse you, haughty palace and all your fearful slaves
Until avenging spirit scatters dust upon your graves
Thy name shall be forgotten, the page of history torn
Like the last gasp of dying, in empty air forlorn!
I curse you!

[Narrator:]
The old man cried in anger and anger heard his prayer
The walls have turned to rubble, all lying broken there
No song recalls the king's name, for better or for worse
Expunged and quite forgotten
That is the minstrel's curse!

The world was young, the mountains green, no stain yet on the moon was seen
No words were laid on stream or stone, when Durin woked and walked alone

The world was fair, the mountains tall, in elder days before the fall
The western seas have passed the way
The world was fair in Durin's Day

A king he was on carven throne, in many-pillared halls of stone
With golden roof and silver floor and runes of power upon the door

The world was fair, the mountains tall, in elder days before the fall
The western seas have passed the way
The world was fair in Durin's Day

The world is grey, the mountains old
The darkness dwells in Durin's halls
But still the sunken star appears in dark and windless mirrormere
There lies his crown in water deep, 'till Durin wakes again from sleep

[Instrumental]

Wayside's again my lonely brink
While my distant ships to insignificance must sink
Travelling well leaves no trace to see
The keeper needs neither lock nor key

Once I had fully known, the sleeping truth in memories overgrown
Still weak and soft, but strong in tone, the waters flow and grind the stones

Five colours make me go blind!
Five heads circling around my mind!
Then she appeared with shaking ground, a phantom black - a devouring cloud

Lady giant tall as mountain, fell-minded walks the land for the death of men
Lady giant tall as mountain, fell-minded walks the land for the woe of men

Showing me her valley soon
Where her eye is the sun - her heart is the moon

Lady giant tall as mountain, fell-minded walks the land for the death of men
Lady giant tall as mountain, fell-minded walks the land for the woe of men


[Hidden Track]

With deadly shine the pale moon hangs over groves as still as the grave
With eerie sighs the night ghost flits through the sky
Clouds of fog shudder and the stars their mourning wanly wear
Like lamps flickering in the crypt
Ghostly spectres, dumb, hollow and haggard in death's dark pomp do process
A funeral throng moves towards the graveyard under the cover of night's grave veil
His fiery wound's torn asunder again, his soul pierced by Hell's sharp pains!

With deadly shine the pale moon hangs over groves as still as the grave
With eerie sighs the night ghost flits through the sky
Clouds of fog shudder and the stars their mourning wanly wear
Like lamps flickering in the crypt
The earth thuds muffled on the coffin lid, but for one more glimpse of the earth's treasures!
The grave's dire door shuts fast every more
More muffled still, the thudding earth grows into a hill
Never does the tomb give back what once it owns!