There's a little shaker idol in the north of Dragon Pass. There's a little marble cross below the town; And a broken-hearted woman tends the grave of Mad Varnas, While the Shaker Queen forever gazes down
He was known as Mad Varnas by the troops at Dragon Pass, He was better than they felt inclined to tell; But for all his foolish pranks, he was worshipped in the ranks, And the Governor's daughter smiled on him as well.
He had loved her all along, with a passion of the strong, And that she returned his love was plain to all. She was nearly twenty-one and arrangements had begun, To celebrate her birthday with a ball.
He wrote to ask her what present she would like from Mad Varnas; They met next day as he dismissed a squad; And jestingly she made pretence that nothing else would pass But the green eye of the little Shaker God.
On the night before the dance, Mad Varnas seemed in a trance. And they chaffed him as they puffed at their cigars; But for once he failed to smile, and he sat alone a while, Then went out into the night beneath the stars.
He returned before the dawn with his shirt and tunic torn, And a gash across his temple dripping red; He was patched up right away, and he slept through all the day, While the Governor's daughter watched beside his bed.
He asked her to bring his tunic through when he awoke at last; She brought it and he thanked her with a smile; He bade her search the pocket saying "That's from Mad Varnas", And she found the shaker queen's little green eye ...
She upbraided poor Varnas in the way that women do, Though strangely both her eyes were hot and wet; But she wouldn't take the stone and Mad Varnas was left alone With the jewel that he'd chanced his life to get.
When the ball was at it's height, on that chill and rainy night, She thought of him and hastened to his room; As she crossed the barrack square, she could hear the dreamy air Of a waltz tune softly stealing through the gloom.
His door was open wide. With crimson moonlight shining 'round; The place was wet and slippery 'cross the floor; An ugly knife abandoned, and his heart could not be found, 'Twas the vengeance of the Cult of Maran Gor...
There's a little shaker idol in the North of Dragon Pass, There's a little marble cross below the town; And a broken-hearted woman tends the grave of Mad Varnas, While the Shaker Queen forever gazes down.
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| Tim Ellis EMail tim_at_timellis.demon.co.uk |
| What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations? |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ --__--__-- End of Glorantha Digest
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