Failed Expedition
Ten men, strong men, went to the Citadel
-- Where are they? Where are they? Gone away, my darling.
Ten men, strong men, went to do what they did well
-- Where are they? Where are they? Gone away, my darling.
Ten strong men to send Mozenrath to Hell.
-- Ten men, strong men, warriors my darling!
Leader Ahkmed with his big, broad tulwar
-- Swish-swack, chop-whack, big broad tulwar!
Sub-leader Osman with his slender, sharp scimitar.
-- Slash-smack, snick-snack, slender sharp scimitar!
All the rest, including Kail,
Armed with sabre, mace, or flail.
-- Tulwar, scimitar, weapons all, my darling!
They strode up to the main gate
-- Big and black, big and black, night and snakes, my darling!
Ahkmed, Osman, and then eight
-- Big and black, big and black, night and snakes my darling!
They went inside the main gate
But by then it was too late.
-- Shiver, shudder, fear for them, my darling!
Ahkmed was the first to fall
-- He was first, my darling.
He thought he just saw a wall
-- It was not, my darling.
Ahkmed, he went off alone,
Bones crushed to powder by a ten-ton stone.
-- Crash-crump, grind-thump, bones powdered, my darling!
Osman swallowed up his dread.
-- Brave, so brave, my darling.
Lesser men, they might have fled.
-- Good advice, my darling!
Osman, he was very brave,
Spends his death as an undead slave.
-- Follow, follow, do as told, my darling!
The last eight men, their hands were weak.
-- Tremble, tremble, so frightened, my darling!
Entered through a curtain, heard their knees creak
-- Crick-crack, click-clack, knocking round, my darling!
Saw lovely women, keen as knives,
Four from eight are still alive.
-- Tickle, trickle, played with them, my darling!
Four men left, their hearts as ice
-- Shiver, shiver, so frightened, my darling!
The thoughts they had were far from nice.
-- Clitter, clatter, terrified, my darling!
When they tried to get away,
Mozenrath then came to say --
-- Hush now, hush now, time for sleep, my darling.
Ten men, brave men, went to the Citadel
-- Where are they? Where are they? Gone away, my darling.
Ten men, brave men, went to do what they did well
-- Where are they? Where are they? Gone away, my darling.
Ten men who are now all dead,
Time now for my darling's bed.
-- Mummy, mummy! Where are they? They're all gone, my darling.
Michael Ferrier
Failed Expedition by Michael Ferrier