[Bards] Eisdedfodd, my experience...

[John Hirling]

Maggie -- I awoke about three hours before sunrise this morning and, alas,
some 36 hours too late, came up with an 'on the fly' creepy story for you.
Would that I had thought of it earlier.

Twas a dark and stormy night.  Clouds rushed before the full moon permitting
only the briefest flashes of her radiance.  The wind sang like the cry of
ban sidhe.

Below the tavern, in the dank underground where was stored the water of
life, dwelt a beast of great cunning -- an predaceous arachnid of the order
Araneae.  In the dead of the night this itsy bitsy spider climbed up the
uisge spout . . .


You can finish the rest

~ihon
(anybody want the judges to reconsider?)



On Dec 17, 2007 9:03 AM, Genie Barrett <ladymaggie at justinanimator.com>
wrote:

> At 08:35 PM 12/14/2007, you wrote:
>
> >Someone should take good notes and be prepared to enthuse on the list
> >about the competition tomorrow.
> >
> >Very best,
> >Rhiannon
>
> While I didn't take notes, I was there...sorry to everyone I don't
> mention, or whose name I have forgotten.  I'm so terrible with names.
>
> Judging where Master Finnacan, of course, Prince Aaron--who
> volunteered to judge, in true Ansteorran fashion, and Master
> Tiggy.  Our Stellar King, and honored Princess also sat through the
> entire competition and granted it much honor  and dignity, I must say.
>  GRIN
>
> Dragonsfire Tor set up two pavilions for us.  They set them up in a T
> so that overflow from the beautiful pavilion the performances could
> still be in out of the weather.  There were two heaters, much
> appreciated, and plenty chairs and a table for the judges.  They also
> provided coffee and tea for all.  They were very gracious hosts.
>
> The first round started with Master Ihon doing a period poem about
> Death, and holding a mummified head as he did it.  Then we had a
> Master Darius' song "For Just One Time" by.... Sorry, I am so
> horrible at names... some great alliteration by Nix, an Italian song
> by Mea, some great stories, Mulan (Me) and finished with an original song.
>
> As each performer finished, they took a slip of paper form the
> "Dreaded Box of Doom" and the expressions were awesome.  Master Ihon,
> who got the first one asked for clarification, but received a
> simple... "That's for you to interpret."  Subjects included Classic,
> creepy, happy, cheerful, rousing, something like marshal or warlike,
> and several others.  What was NOT pulled were some of the easier
> ones, like patriotic.
>
> Then the second round began.  Same order, so Master Ihon began
> again.  He gave the judges a choice of Period Classic, Current Middle
> Ages Classic, or Classic Ansteorran (guess who got classic).  The
> judges chose number two, and he performed a wonderful piece that most
> people knew, though I didn't.  Very beautiful piece.  Then things got
> cheerful with Nix and Mea and then I changed the mood with my
> "creepy" song.  GRIN  Why is it, that the subject you get is the
> hardest one for you?  Me with creepy, HE Namron with "cheery"... What
> can I say.  Things got fun by the end, and then finished with another
> original piece that brought tears to an eye or two.
>
> ---An aside, here.  HE Ihon and I were talking before the competition
> about how one should save Born on the Listfield for the second round,
> because it fits so many subjects, but I'm sorry, creepy just isn't
> one of those subjects....
>
> We had a break for a half hour, and then we all gathered back in the
> pavilion to hear the finals.  Master Finnacan gave much deserved
> complements to each performer, and then announced who would
> advance.  Master Ihon, Nix, and Mea.
>
> The final round was to be a performance to thank Dragonsfire Tor for
> their hospitality.  Mea started with a beautiful poem of gratitude
> and honor.  Then Master Ihon told a story of how Dragonsfire Tor came
> to be.  Then Nix finished with much alliteration in a poem honoring
> the Tor and their history.  This was an amazing competition, and I
> was glad that I was not judging it.
>
> Some time later, maybe half an hour, the King and Queen opened
> court.  They processed in, and did just one thing... Announce, after
> much honoring and thanking, that HE Stargate, Master Igon, had
> won.  Then, because he had to go home before feast, Master Ihon again
> performed his piece for the assembled populace.  I even think it was
> better in the second telling than the first.
>
> When Master Finnacan passed on the regalia, he started with a new
> bard's cloak.  He had commissioned HE Rixende de Rouen to make a new
> cloak.  It is beautiful.  Gold wool, trimmed in black, with a two to
> three foot harp on the back with a rose in the middle.  She has sown
> beads that catch the light in the center of the rose.  It is to be
> lined, a removable and washable lining, in red linen.  There is also
> a small trim to be added to tack down the edge of the black bordering
> (rumor has it, that they will be in the motley colors).  That has not
> been finished yet.  I cannot remember (someone help me?) the name of
> the lord who made the clasps, but they are also roses and
> beautiful.  Makes one really want to win next year.
>
> Court recessed, and then feast began.
>
> What a fun and enjoyable day.  The competition was fierce, the
> performances were all enjoyable.  An awesome day.
>
> Maggie
>
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-- 
Rev. John F. Hirling
Interim Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Angleton, TX 77515
(979) 849-5722
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