I kept the arrangements simple, live for the most part, in an attempt to capture something of the atmosphere of the art of storytelling by firelight...

Check out the individual tracks for links to some interesting stories...

Snapshots from the House of Iding

Taken from the set : https://soundcloud.com/user-470842881/sets/local-heroes
video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BHKCy5qC6E&t=69s

 Thought I'd give it a ' at home with the Saxons round the fire telling stories in the dark' thang. As with most cultures that did this the stories were often well known and the skill was to spring a surprise or two....not just trot it out in a precursor to today's copy and paste merchants. 
 
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/roseberry-topping/features/the-legend-of-prince-oswy-at-roseberry-topping

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2522449/Amazing-story-Anglo-Saxon-warrior-saint-struggle-claim-rightful-place-king-inspired-Tolkiens-Aragorn.html

Her mother's heart was troubled.
A dream so dark she scarce could breathe
No peace had she
from the whispering sea...
'Give me the child, give me the child'

Her mother's heart fierce and burning
with woman's words and books of learning
no peace had she
from the whispering sea..
'Give me the child, give me the child'

Her mother's heart prayed for an answer
A mountain true, safe from the tide
False hope had she
Still the whispering sea...
'Give me the child, give me the child'

For mountains too have waters hidden
that heed the sea and flow when bidden
Not safe was he...
from the whispering sea
'Give me the child, give me the child'

Oswy was buried in Osmotherly where there is a pub called 'The Queen Catherine' after Catherine of Aragon and it is the only one in England with that name.  Tolkien modeled  Aragorn on Oswald ( Oswy's father in the story, actually his older brother) and  some 16 miles to the west is the village of Arrathorne. 

If you stand on 'Roseberry Topping', the place where Oswy drowned ( see pic ) you can look down onto 'Underhill Farm' and 'Bagdale' and far to the west (if you know where to look) on a clear day you can make out the dark smudge of Wether Fell, or Weathertop as I calls it....

Oswy

Taken from the set  https://soundcloud.com/user-470842881/sets/local-heroes
Oswald and Cyneburg........with  Faerytale.    https://soundcloud.com/faerytale

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysistrata
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2522449/Amazing-story-Anglo-Saxon-warrior-saint-struggle-claim-rightful-place-king-inspired-Tolkiens-Aragorn.html

The amazing Faerytale  as  Cyneburg lets Oswald know exactly who is
wearing the trousers in this Royal household. 

Northumbria c 635 AD.  

King in the North ! by the grace of God
and the gore, of my enemies and friends
Peace,  my gift, to the poor,  the rich
bloodstained, I make amends  ( amen ) 

A King must have an heir, must needs a wife be there
If she's pretty, so much the better
A match to be weighed,  a suitable Royal Maid
if she's witty, I'll just, ignore her...

Pray, my 'Lord and Master'
Read you soon this 'Lysistrata'*
In the Greek...
If you read  ? 

A tale,
Statehood verses Manhood
Try my mettle, 
if you will...

Should you listen, I will guide you
Lay beside you.....For the land
War should not please you
 The Love of Christ can free you.......from these ways

King in the North ! by the grace of God
and the skill of my Queen
Crops on the land,
strong my hand
and the cross triumphant.* 

 'Lysistrata'. A play by Aristophanes. 
 'The Cross Triumphant'.. Oswald raised a cross before the Battle of Heavenfield and gifted the island of  Lindisfarne to the church in thanks for his victory.

Oswald  ♥'s Cyneburg.  :)

Oswald and Cyneburg..........with  Faerytale

Taken from the set https://soundcloud.com/user-470842881/sets/local-heroes

Based on the legend of The Sockburn Worm. Immortalized by Lewis Carroll in his famous nonsense rhyme, "Jabberwocky".  http://englandsnortheast.co.uk/CroftLewisCarroll.html
A very English investigation of the Sockburn Worm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TcTIBmFaDo
The slaying of the Sockburn worm is credited to Sir John Conyer but the legend is far older than any johnny-come-lately Norman Knight. So I've given the task to that most fearsome of creatures, a protective mother.  

Sunset brings the fear,
a wingbeat, 
imagined near

A child, mother close, 
fitful sleep,
cross in hand

The brave and the terrified,
stand their ground
in the snow.

Strong, I must be strong,
they will sing my song,
if I die well

Comes the beast,
on folk to feast,
bite my blade, bite my blade...

A devil's breath, cold the earth,
a steam of blood,
sticks then flows...

Down the horror goes,
up comes the sun,
a mother's work near done...

Shh, shh, shh little one
Shh shh shh  
Mother's here now...

Osthryth.  The Dragon Slaying Lullaby Singer of Olde Sockburn.

Local Heroes Series
1 Oswy   https://soundcloud.com/gibson-j-4-5/oswy
2 Oswald and Cyneburg  https://soundcloud.com/gibson-j-4-5/oswald-and-cyneburg
3 Osthryth

Osthryth

The Irate Pirates' Steering Committee are sailing from a new port.
My main account is no longer Pro Unlimited but a Free Account with a limited number of tracks on display and no possibility of adding new material. Some 50 old songs are no longer available. But I have a cunning plan.
I will rescue the missing 50 via this my second  account . The old likes and comments will be missing. So if you could show the old stuff  some love I'd be grateful. 


Home port :)

https://soundcloud.com/gibson-j-4-5

Snapshots from the House of Iding

The Irate Pirates' Lifeboat