Rhymes of Lore
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:26 pm
When Gandalf is riding with Pippin to Minas Tirith, he recites the poem about what the tall kings brought from Numenor over the sea. ("Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree.") He mentions that it's one of the Rhymes of Lore that are kept by "Aragorn's people."
Treebeard, too, references lore-rhymes when trying to figure out what the hobbits are. And Aragorn describes the Rohirrim as "writing no books, but singing many songs..." Songs are great mnemonics to help you remember things, especially in a culture without writing like Rohan (or the ancient Celts).
Which is by way of saying: what rhymes of lore should we, as Rangers, remember when in the woods? What things would it be useful to know but hard to remember, so the Dunedain would put into song?
I'm thinking of things as simple as the rhyme we all know to help us avoid poison ivy: "Leaves of three, let them be."
These hardwoods burn well and slowly,
Ash, beech, hawthorn, oak and holly.
Softwoods flare up quick and fine,
Birch, fir, hazel, larch and pine.
Elm and willow you'll regret,
Chestnut green and sycamore wet
When crickets’ chirps grow loud and strong, a storm will rage before too long.
Mackrel sky, mackrel sky, dry turns wet and wet turns dry.
What others are there, either historical folklore or new ones we can write, that will help us on our treks? Rhymes to help us identify useful plants? Avoid poisonous ones? Select good campsites?
Treebeard, too, references lore-rhymes when trying to figure out what the hobbits are. And Aragorn describes the Rohirrim as "writing no books, but singing many songs..." Songs are great mnemonics to help you remember things, especially in a culture without writing like Rohan (or the ancient Celts).
Which is by way of saying: what rhymes of lore should we, as Rangers, remember when in the woods? What things would it be useful to know but hard to remember, so the Dunedain would put into song?
I'm thinking of things as simple as the rhyme we all know to help us avoid poison ivy: "Leaves of three, let them be."
These hardwoods burn well and slowly,
Ash, beech, hawthorn, oak and holly.
Softwoods flare up quick and fine,
Birch, fir, hazel, larch and pine.
Elm and willow you'll regret,
Chestnut green and sycamore wet
When crickets’ chirps grow loud and strong, a storm will rage before too long.
Mackrel sky, mackrel sky, dry turns wet and wet turns dry.
What others are there, either historical folklore or new ones we can write, that will help us on our treks? Rhymes to help us identify useful plants? Avoid poisonous ones? Select good campsites?