Songs

There are different **Songs** sung in the Summer King series. The biggest and most important one is the Song of the Summer King, but there are also other minor songs, typically sung by the Vanir, Vanhar, or wolves.

## Song of the Summer King

The Song of the Summer King drives the main plot line of the first book series. It's an ancient song, one that describes a king who will rise amid darkness and bring peace. Ragna first sings this song when the current Red King Sverin declares war on the wolves. Sverin wrongly names his son the Summer King to quell the restless Vanir, when it is really Ragna's son, Rashard.

*One will rise higher,*

*One will see farther,*

*His wing beats part the storm*

*They will call him the summer king*

*And this will be his song*

*He sees all like the sky,*

*His heart burns like the sun*

*He brings justice to the wronged,*

*They will call him the Summer King*

*And this will be his song*

*He flies in the night*

*And in the day*

*And his wings are like light on water.*

*He listens to all who speak, speaks to all who hear*

*And his voice is like the song of summer.*

*He is borne aloft by the Silver Wind*

*He alone flies the highest peak,*

*And when they hear his song at battle's end*

*The Nameless shall know themselves*

*And the Voiceless will once again speak.*

*He comes when he is needed*

*He comes when he is called*

*He is called the Summer King, and this will be his song.*

## The Gryfon Mother's Lament

Einarr and his mate Astri sing this song to the whelping gryfesses to calm them.

*Eyes wide, heart full,*

*Stand my nestling, tall and proud*

*Stand my nestling tall and proud*

*Stay my young one*

*Stay with me*

*The world is dark and harsh and bleak*

*Don't fly, don't fight just let it be*

*And stay, young one, stay with me*

*Wings wide, heart free*

*Fly my fledgling, far from me*

*Fly my fledgling, far from me.*

*Claws wide, heart cold*

*Fight, my warrior, fierce and bold*

*Fight, my warrior, fierce and bold*

*Eyes closed, heart still*

*Rest my young one*

*In Tyr's bright hills,*

*Rest, my young one*

*In Tyr's bright hills.*

## The Song of First Light

*Which came first, the mountain, or the sea?*

*Not even the eldest could say,*

*Whether first came wave or tree.*

*Which came first, the silence, or the song?*

*Not even the rowan could say,*

*Had it a voice and lived so long.*

*Only in stillness the wind,*

*Only from ice the flame.*

*When all were Nameless, the wise will tell,*

*It was only by knowing each other,*

*They came to know themselves.*

## The Song of Last Light

*Which rises first, the night wind, or the stars?*

*Not even the owl could say,*

*Whether first comes the song or the dark.*

*Which fades last, the birdsong, or the day?*

*Not even the sky could tell,*

*Whether last stills the sun or the jay.*

*Only the long day brings rest*

*Only the dark of night, dawn.*

*When the First knew themselves, the wise will say,*

*They took their names to the Sunlit Land*

*but their Voice in the wind sings on.*

## Unnamed Dragon Song

This song is sung by Hikaru when Rashard asks him if he remembers any songs after they escape the Horn of Midragur.

*The noble draw wind from the water*

*The brave will call fire from stone.*

*The foolish seek gold in the mountain*

*The last know that wood grows from bone.*

## Unnamed Lion Song

This song is sung when Kjorn hunts with the lioness Ajia and her pride.

*The herd grazes under the moon,*

*and now the dark is high.*

*The herd grazes under the moon,*

*and one knows his time is nigh.*

*The eye of Tor watches, her light guides us on.*

*The breath of Tor whispers, we follow her song.*

*One goes now to the Sunlit Land*

*But his Voice in the wind sings on.*

## Song of the Four Winds

This song is sung by the Vanhar after The Battle of Torches.

*A new wind, a bright wind, a silver wind is blowing.*

*The winds will whisper, one and all,*

*To those they know are listening.*

*Raise your wings, young fledge,*

*and hark so you will know them.*

*Star shines bright with future light,*

*Sun fills all bold hearts with might.*

*A Nightwind, fly with warning,*

*At Dawn, with hope come singing.*

*But now a high wind, a true wind, a silver wind is blowing.*

## The Wingbrother/Sister Pledge

While not technically a song, the Wingbrother/Sister pledge is still important in the series. When two gryfons are close friends, raised together, or any other reason, they will take this pledge.

*Wind under me when the air is still,*

*Wind over me when I fly too high,*

*Brother/Sister by choice,*

*Brother/Sister by vow*

*By my wings, you will never fly alone*

## The Starward Light Song

*The shortest day is done*

*The Long Night has begun*

*But fear not, my love, the dark*

*The dark*

*The darkness can be bright.*

*Behold the starward light*

*Behold the longest, brightest night.*

*We rest as winter winds blow*

*We sing as the darkness grows*

*Fear not my love the cold*

*The cold*

*We will make the cold warm and bright*

*Behold the starward light...*