
057/063 13 Jan 92  17:30:48
From:   Jeremy Buhler
To:     All
Subj:   The *Real* "Lord of the Dance"
Attr:   
------------------------------------------------
   There has been some recent controversy pertaining to the "original"
form of the popular ballad "Lord of the Dance."  This free translation
of accumulated verses antedates any claim so far advanced.  The original
words were derived from careful study of certain eldritch tomes, most
notably de Jungzt's _Unaussprechlichen_Kulten_ and the _Necronomicon_ of
Abdul Alhazred.  Additionally, quite a few highly respectable men of
letters from a certain Massachusetts university have aided immesurably
in translation.  Kadath in the wastes hath provided several invaluable 
editorial corrections, and what man knows Kadath?  Anyway, here it is:


                      The Other Lord of the Dance

I danced for Azathoth when the Chaos was all
And the piping of flutes timed my first footfall;
I danced in His horde in that void out of space
'Till Yog-Sothoth unlocked the Gate for all my race.

[Chorus:]
Dance, Dance; I travel with you still!
And many of your kind carry out my will!
You dance while I dream in my city 'neath the sea,
But I am your lord and you all dance for me!

I danced with the Old Ones on Yuggoth long ago,
But we travelled to Earth with our images in tow;
The Great Trapezohedron shone brightly as we came;
I danced on the earth, and your world learned my name.

I built a mighty city when Antarctica was lush,
And triumphant I danced, and my enemies I crushed;
'Neath the Mountains of Madness my race danced supreme
As the eons passed by and we danced out our dream.

But at last there came a time when we all had to flee
To a black-towered city in the depths of the sea;
Hastur, Dagon, and The One With No Name -
Together we've dreamt since that dark hour came.

The crinoids of Antartica did dance to my tune,
And the serpents of Valusia for me did swoon,
Then in sunken Lemuria you humans danced with me;
In Khem I was honored, and my dreams ranged free.

In Aklo you uttered my praises of old,
And the great Nephren-Ka built me altars of gold;
With Nitokris I danced, and by thousands you came,
And the myths of your world helped preserve my name.

Now I dance in the dreams of the men 'neath my sway,
And in mad Alahazred's book you will find me today;
The Esquimaux of Greenland perform my eldritch rites,
And the sound of my dance rends the dank bayou's nights -

But the ground I love best for my dances macabre
Is up the Miskatonic in the hills of old Hob;
My shadow o'er Arkham and Innsmouth does fall,
And the pen of one man tells the lure of my Call.

On a Cyclopean altar I dance in the slime,
And thus I will dance 'till the stars tell my time,
Then up we shall rise from R'lyeh once again,
And the earth shall be ours and your dance at an end!

                                                                Jeremy

PS - with *sincere* apologies to HPL.  Sanity roll, anyone?

--- Maximus 2.00
 * Origin: Filk - it does a bhody good! (1:106/7674)

