Page 84 of The Dragon Ring
But there’s none to hear, the voice of Gwawl. Mighty Gwawl.
As he sang, I thought of my own predicament. My own people were yet to be born. Stuck here, I would live and die and be long buried before Nathan became even a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. A great chasm gaped between me and my world, just as it had for the poor giant, driven away by the people who’d invaded his country.
Through ancient forest tracks he roams,
Past lake, and hill, and white flanked fort
Rivers and roads lead him ever on
Toward the place where his people are gone, Gwawl. Mighty Gwawl.
But the people he finds are not his own,
He’s strayed too far from the lands of his birth,
It’s stones and spears and shouts that are his
As all alone he wanders on, Gwawl. The Mighty Gwawl.
At last his gaze rests on new mountains tall
Whose ice-capped peaks reach to the sky.
On tired feet he hastens toward his goal
Surely the giants will welcome him here, Gwawl. Mighty Gwawl.
But the mountains offer no giant’s call
Only cold silence echoes from peak to peak
And deep in the valleys he wanders alone
While high on the crags he cries for his home, Gwawl. Mighty Gwawl.
Gwalchmei’s song sobered me. Fueled by alcohol, I’d been in danger of allowing this world to swallow me, but who was I fooling? Only myself. No matter how I might try, I didn’t belong here any more than the giant who’d faded away in the savage mountains.
Many a day and many a day
The last giant calls to an empty sky
Many a day and many a day
For no giants answer the lonely cry, of Gwawl. Might Gwawl.
Down in the lowlands they hear his voice,
The farmers and wives who drove him away.
The voice of the storm, the voice of the wind
And they bar their doors to keep him at bay, Gwawl. Mighty Gwawl.
Alone in the mountains, alone and sad
The last giant falters and falls to his knees
Then stretches himself on the top of the crag
