Little one, long-awaited one, peace be with thee.
Lying here in my arms of love, do you love me?
Aye, for the smile you wear shines more than anywhere
When you look into my eyes all else seems dim

For your face is happiness,
And your heart is my light,
And to hold you now is more love than I have yet known.

So I give myself to the river,
To the storm that throws the leaves,
To the babe that has stol’n my heart,
To a warm summer’s breeze.

Sheltered one, warmly havened one, sleep set you free
Dreamlit paths rife with fantasy call silently.
Hark to the elder trees scenting the air you breath.
Hear the birds chanting over thee carols of rest.

For your face is happiness,
And your heart is my light,
And to hold you now is more love than I have yet known.

So I give myself to the danger,
To the fire that burns in me,
To the days when this bird is fledged,
To a hope when lights flee.

Little one, long-expected one, what will you be?
Through the mist of uncertain years, calls Destiny
Long lies the road ahead, with pain and joy oe’erspread.
Longer still shall your lays be played, Treasured your name.

For your face shall be happiness,
And your heart give all light,
And to hold you will be more love than you have yet known.

For you’ll give yourself to the river,
To the storm that throws the leaves,
To a love that has stol’n your heart,
To a warm summer’s breeze.

And you’ll give yourself to the danger,
To a fire that burns in thee,
In the days when a bird is fledged,
To a hope when lights flee.

Little one, long-awaited one, peace be with thee.

Little birds from the southlands the bright winds are blowing.
Come away to the Greenwood;
Chase away the dark of winter!
Softly wakened by sunlight crisp torrents are flowing,
Rushing forth to welcome your song.

Dunnock, hid in the shadows, the sun has arisen.
Wake and fly o’er the rivers;
Chase away the cold of winter.
Come alive as a snowdrop burst forth from its prison
Stretching forth, to welcome your song.

Chorus:
And the woods shall be clothed in rainbows scattered every branch along,
And the paths shall come alive, graced in purple and green.
All is song and all is gladness;
All is dance and joyful madness.
And the Shadow weeps light as its stronghold is shaken,
All the forest revived into song.

Gold and Green-finch and chaffince, rain mirth with your thrumming.
Raise your voice in the chorus;
Chase away the still of winter.
From the pine-holes your kinsmen now strike up their drumming
Flying forth to welcome your song.

Chorus

Look aloft, from the south festive cloudlets are ferning.
Come away to the Greenwood;
Chase away the bleak of winter!
As a host come the minstrels of Aenor returning,
Breaking forth in glorious song!

Chorus x2

Note: The spelling really ought to be “Lîr o Hewin” and “Enor,” given that I used the Mirkwood “ae -> e” for every other song written by Ganneldor or coming from his homeland. As I did not notice this mistake until after publishing my album, it remains. I choose to believe this copy of Ganneldor’s song was simply written down by some Noldo who didn’t find Ganneldor’s spelling “proper.” Thankfully, despite the spelling change, we can still pronounce those words like the elves of Mirkwood. 😉

The forest comes alive, and the flowers flood the way.
The soldier gives a battle shout; the king calls “Ride away!”

And soon we will be off, ere the breaking of the day.
My heart will stay in Greenwood’s halls; my sword will find the fray.

The forest sparrow sings, and the rabbit hides afraid
The soldier dreams of victory; the king of brighter day.

And soon we will be off, ere the breaking of the day.
My heart will stay in Greenwood’s halls; my sword will find the fray.

The forest left behind, upward wheels the bird of prey.
The soldier springs among the foe; the king leads on the brave
That forest will come alive and the flowers will flood the way,
The soldier shout the victory, the king “The dark’s at bay!”

And soon we will be off, ere the breaking of the day
To join the feast in Greenwood’s halls, our swords rest from the fray.

And soon we will be off, ere the breaking of the day.
My heart will stay in Greenwood’s halls; my sword will find the fray.

Into the trees the greenwood calls,
“Come hide away.” Alurilei
Under the trees a shadow falls.
Aluri-lairulei

Through weary branch the night wind speaks,
“Fly and be free.” Alurili
Shrouded in web the spider creeps.
Aluri-lairuli

Off in the west the seagull cries,
“Seek life, and go!” Alurilo
Yet as we leave… my homewood dies…
Aluri-lairulo

Under the trees the shadow crawls.
Dark is the day. Alurilei
Into the trees the greenwood calls
Aluri-lairulei

PRONUNCIATION NOTES
the non-word portion is spelled using Tolkien’s rules of spelling for sindarin and quenya. Here is another rendering, which should be easier for english speakers to pronounce.

Verse 1: Aloorilay; Aloori-lairoo-lay
Verse 2: Aloorilee Aloorilairoolee
Verse 3: Alooriloh; Aloori-lairoo-loh

What is this feeling that echoes in my mind?
No call of the sea or of homewood
No song of bright falls or forest river

Can sway the path that haunts my mind.

What is this singing that echoes in my heart?
The wind of spring storm and yet wilder
The fragrance of lilacs yet far sweeter
Caught in its sweeping melody am I

Light of Telperion
Calling to me in waking dreams
Calling over sund’ring seas of mist-gilt stone
“To beauteous star, to heart-friend
Come away”

Who is this, my fair one?
I care not if you know
Dear bird let us sing through the evening
Though year fall and mountain pass close
That my ever-home
May be with you my love.

Tale we tell of a great day when an orc became an ally
Sent his troops to the greenwood to be picked off one by one.
Through the shadows slow they crept
but loud so we could hear them step
Creeping through the greenwood to be picked off one by one

Chorus:
Hail the hero Edhelhel,
Watch his orcs run pell-mell!
They stormed the Greenwood, what a fest!
They came to face the forest!

Came to the river then, those orcs
In they fell and bobbed like corks
Floating down the river to be picked off one by one.
And as they swam our orc took thought,
Are we winning? I think not.
Yet told the orcs “push farther!” They were picked off one by one.

Chorus

“Retreat!” he cried as foolish seemed
This quest to loyal orc kin.
How could this have happened? To have lost most every one?
Yet all of this was in his plan,
To give his force into our hands.
Victory for the Greenwood And we thank him, every one!

Chorus

Hail the orc who’s name be lost to time, who’s troops be lost to moss
We’ll spread a feast for Edelhel, if e’re we meet again.

Chorus

Final Chorus:
Raise a toast to Edelhel
When he fights us all is well
Storm the wood once more we pray
Come again someday!

As the mists off the falls of Imladris
    kissed the first spring buds awake
And the call of the sea grew louder
    In the old of heart and mind
In the twilight arose a green star…
    crying, calling me.
And I sang of my love for the greenstar,
    as the morn to midday climbed.

“As the tunes of the bird and the soldier,
    wove beneath the summer trees
And the call of a war grew louder
    In the true of heart and blade
In the gloom there yet gleamed that young star
    Yearning fame of deed…
And I sang of my love to the greenstar
    As the noon to dusk did fade.

“As the birds sang of joy and of harvest
   And the Greenwood looked its best
And the call – My star lost! grew louder
    in my heart grew piercing dread
For in the shadow now wandered my green star…
    hiding, haunting me
And no more could I sing of the green star
    As the night fell dark and dead.

“As the grass breaks in crispness of winter
   And the snow sooths heart and soul
And the call of my bird grows louder
    In the lonely miles I stray
Do I hear in the west my greenstar?
    Calling, “come to me”?
And I sing, oh my love, oh my greenstar
    Can the night to morn yet give way?

V1. Dark is the road and grim the journey
I have vowed to go away
For the home I love has darkened grown
Light dwells there, but none for I
Hear the voice of older brighter days
When life was joy, and love was you and my son.
Now westward turns my heart,
Nightward turns the world for me.

V1b. Strong as an oak tree long I’ve stood and
Laughed though forests fallen down
Called for vengeance on the darkening storm
Shade I gave when none I had
And my songs, though broken, still I sang
To see you smile, my sheltered one
But I’ve nothing left to give my home
Save what hope my sword can win

C1. All the free world cried, “Come away to the war!”
Sharpened steel and purpose gleamed
So I traded harp for polished sword
Westward ship for Mandos’ key

V2. Long is the road and bleak the journey,
No more dance ‘ I o’er the green,
Weaving lays and rippling melodies
As the twilight wakes the stars
Still I march to clamant drums of war
Thundering, pounding to drown out the storm
That waits with crushing breath
To pay our courage back with death

V2b. Dim is my hope but firm the vision
I have vowed to hold this day
For the world shall ever darker grow
Lest one rise, to evil say
You have passed our borders once too long,
Stol’n too much. My sword I’ll raise
And you shall not pass this way again
Lest it be upon my grave.

​ V3. Long is the road and grim the journey
Every soldiers’s life must take,
For a vow of service none can break.
Have I failed you now, my love?
Will you weep, while I find joy and rest
The guard of home, while your deserter is
Blessed in peaceful healing halls,
Hailed in spite of cowr’dly shame?

V3b. For weak is the oak and stol’n the laughter.
Hope of rising star forsook,
And a childhood song webs over me
Weighting every step with destiny
I should have born this grief,
Betwixt the fragrant elders doomed to weep,
Yet now my path is sure
In the east I’ll find my western home.

C3. All the dark ones cry, “Come away, fell them all!”
They’ve no pow’r to frighten me.
When I’ve no strength left to wield my sword
When darkness shouts in triumph cruel
When I’ve no strength left, I’ll meet this doom:
To Mandos’ rest they’ll set me free.