Fantastical Historical Fiction -- an essay by WWS
Dec 15, 2016 20:05:02 GMT
whitewolfstark likes this
Post by voice on Dec 15, 2016 20:05:02 GMT
The Red Wedding? The Black Dinner & a massacre of Glencoe hybrid.
My wife is a fan of Scottish folk music, and asked if this song sounded familiar to me just t'other day.
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came in a blizzard, we offered them heat
A roof for their heads, dry shoes for their feet
We wined them and dined them, they ate of our meat
And they slept in the house of MacDonald.
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came from Fort William with murder in mind
The Campbell had orders King William had signed
"Put all to the sword" these words underlined
"And leave none alive called MacDonald"
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came in the night when the men were asleep
This band of Argyles, through snow soft and deep
Like murdering foxes amongst helpless sheep
They slaughtered the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
Some died in their beds at the hand of the foe
Some fled in the night and were lost in the snow
Some lived to accuse him who struck the first blow
But gone was the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
I was going to post this in MR ASOIAF, but it doesn't recall ASOIAF so much as it quite literally inspired part of ASOIAF's plot. Then I remembered this essay!
I'd like to start a nice long list of historical muses for ASOIAF whitewolfstark , and discuss how the muses might bear some forebearance upon various plots within the novels. Is it okay if I add them here WWS? Or should I start a new thread?