Songs

Songs are sung by the Folk to tell stories and folklore. They're also used for traditional and ritualistic purposes. Some songs, however, are just that—songs. These types of songs are used to express love, life, or other subjects that a cat may experience.

## Tailchaser's Song

Not to be confused with the title of the book, or Tailchaser's journey. This song was sung by him for Hushpad, and could be considered a love song and a promise of a Joining.

> *'So high*
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> *Above the waving treetops,*
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> *Above the teeming sky -*
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> *We speak a Word*
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> *Side by side*
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> *Upon the rugged world-back,*
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> *Beyond the sun and tide -*
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> *This voice is heard . . .*
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> *We are traveling together*
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> *With our tails in the wind*
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> *We are voyaging together,*
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> *We are sun-redeemed and warm.*
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> *Long now*
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> *We have danced within the forest.*
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> *Looking only straight ahead—*
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> *Lacking but the Word.*
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> *Soon, though,*
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> *We will understand the meaning*
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> *In our whiskers and our bones—*
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> *Now that we have heard . . .'*
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## Snagrat and the Spirit-Mouse

A short verse sung by Hangbelly. This is a song sung for amusement purposes.

> *'Snagrat was a cat who liked his rats*
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> *An' he liked 'em sweet, an' he liked 'em fat*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, liked his rats.*
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> *Snagrat, ye know, would a-hunting go*
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> *In the summery sun and winter snow*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, hunting go.*
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> *One day he spied by the riverside*
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> *A Squeaker plump, rat-mother's pride*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, rat he spied.*
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> *At the rat he jumped, with a leap and bump*
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> *To take the beast in its hiding clump*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, leap and bump.*
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> *But beneath his claws no rat he saw*
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> *And he gaped a gape from dangling jaw*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, no rat saw.*
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> *Then he heard a squeak, and a rat did speak*
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> *But he could not find it however did seek*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, rat did speak.*
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> *Said the voice: 'Dear cat, I'm the spirit-rat*
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> *And I will haunt you and hunt you flat!*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, haunt you flat.*
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> *Snagrat's head spun at the spirit's dun*
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> *And up he leaped and away he run*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack, leaped and run.*
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> *No more Snagrat is a mousing cat*
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> *Now he feeds on beetles and bark and sprat*
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> *And . . . here and there a low-flying bat*
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> *But he has no taste for mouse or rat!*
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> *Sing: Hey-crack, derry-crack*
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> *Yow-meow-a-derry-crack*
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> *Hey-crack, derry-crack, eats no rats!'*
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## The Clawguard's Chant

A chant sung by the Clawguard

> *'A day will come*
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> *Above the mound*
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> *No light will shine*
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> *Upon the ground—*
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> *And from the deep*
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> *Where Old Ones sleep*
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> *Our Folk will creep*
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> *Without a sound . . .*
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> *No more to hide*
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> *And wait for night*
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> *No more to shun*
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> *The hot daylight*
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> *The sun will die*
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> *And you and I*
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> *Will upward fly*
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> *To hunt and bite . . .*
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> *The Sun, the Sun*
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> *The Sun will die*
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> *And dying slip*
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> *From out the sky*
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> *And in the black*
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> *We will take back*
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> *All that we lack*
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> *The Sun will die . . .'*
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