Morrowind:Lord Jornibret's Last Dance

This book is always found laying open, never closed on shelves.

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(Traditional)

Women's Verse I

Every winter season,

Except for the reason

Of one war or another

(Really quite a bother),

The Queen of Rimmen and her consort

Request their vassals come and cavort.

On each and every ball,

The first man at the Hall

Is Lord Ogin Jornibret of Gaer,

The Curse of all the Maidens Fair.

Women's Refrain

Oh, dear ladies, beware.

Dearest, dearest ladies, take care.

Though he's a very handsome man,

If you dare to take his handsome hand,

The nasty little spell will be cast

And your first dance with him will be the last.

Men's Verse I

At this social event

Everyone who went

Knew the bows and stances

And steps to all the dances.

The Queen of Rimmen and her consort

Would order a trumpet's wild report,

And there could be no indecision

As the revelers took position.

The first dance only ladies, separate

Away from such men as Lord Jornibret.

Men's Refrain

Oh, dear fellows, explain.

Brothers, can you help make it plain:

The man's been doing this for years,

Leaving maidens fair in tears

Before the final tune's been blast.

And her first dance with him will be the last.

Women's Verse II

Lord Ogin Jornibret of Gaer

Watched the ladies dance on air

The loveliest in the realm.

A fellow in a ursine-hide helm

Said, "The Queen of Rimmen and her consort

Have put together quite a sport.

Which lady fair do you prefer?"

Lord Jornibret pointed, "Her.

See that bosom bob and weave.

Well-suited for me to love and leave."

Women's Refrain

Men's Verse II

The man in the mask of a bear

Had left the Lord of Gaer

Before the ladies' dance was ending.

Then a trumpet sounded, portending

That the Queen of Rimmen and her consort

Called for the men to come to court.

Disdainful, passing over all the rest,

Ogin approached she of bobbing breast.

She was rejected, saved a life of woe,

For a new maiden as fair as snow.

Men's Refrain

Women's Verse III

At the first note of the band,

The beauty took Ogin's hand.

She complimented his stately carriage

Dancing to the tune about the marriage

Of the Queen of Rimmen and her consort.

It is very difficult indeed to comport

With grace, neither falling nor flailing,

Wearing ornate hide and leather mailing,

Dancing light as the sweetest of dreams

Without a single squeak of the seams.

Women's Refrain.

Men's Verse III

The rhythms rose and fell

No one dancing could excel

With masculine grace and syncopation,

Lord Jornibret even drew admiration

From the Queen of Rimmen and her consort.

Like a beauteous vessel pulling into port,

He silently slid, belying the leather's weight.

She whispered girlishly, "The hour is late,

But I've never seen such grace in hide armor."

It 'twas a pity he knew he had to harm her.

Men's Refrain

Women's Verse IV

The tune beat was furious

He began to be curious

Where had the maiden been sequest'ed.

"Before this dance was requested

By the consort and his Queen of Rimmen

I didn't see you dance with the women."

"My dress was torn as I came to the dance,"

She said smiling in a voice deep as a man's,

"My maids worked quickly to repair,

While I wore a suit of hide, a helm of a bear."

Women's Refrain

-- End