A Past And Future Secret

This song is about Merlin's Prophesy about King Arthur's rise and fall.

This is a song about the legendary King Arthur.

This song is about Merlin's Prophesy about King Arthur's rise and fall.

The only thing in your guess wrong: singer is not Merlin. He's perhaps sir Bedwyr, the last man who seen Arthur alive, or just a bard, common BG character.

Actually, this song is based first and foremost off of "The Once and Future King," by T. H. White, its namesake. The song most likely takes the point-of-view of Sir Bedivere, who, as Gareth mentioned, was the last one to to see Arthur alive. "When I cry out for the bark, take him back to Avalon" describes the magical boat that brings Arthur to the forging place of Excalibur, where the three witches, including Morgan le Fay, are to take care of him until he is once again needed (Reincarnated).

One of the best BG songs!!

'My song of the end' ....its haunting!

The speaker is probably just Hansi himself. He's the bard :)

What do they mean by "it was fixed the whole time"?

I've always loved this song, having recently read Le Morte D'Arthur I feel I understand it a bit better now and have a new found appreciation for the song. As someone mentioned it is through the viewpoint of Merlin, and others as Bedivere / Bedwyr the last with Arthur alive aside from his brother Lucan who died shortly before. I believe the song to be through the viewpoint of both Merlin and Bedivere, as well as Arthur, however sung by the story teller aka "bard" being Hansi himself and BG as it is clearly not entirely through the view of one character. If it is based upon this book or the One and Future King itself doesn't matter much as the source for the latter was the first. That being said on to my interpretation and breakdown.

"Oh, I haven't been here for a while In blindness and decay The circle's been closed, now My song of the end I've seen it all"

Either Arthur or Merlin, or maybe more so both. I haven't been here for awhile referring to Arthur's return to Avalon, the circle closing, the end. My song of the end could be either Merlin's Prophesy, or the dream Arthur himself had the night before his death at Mordred's hands where Gawaine had warned him not to do battle that day. Hence "my song" of the end, being blind and decayed meaning he knew what was to come but acted anyway.

"Listen crowd I'll tell you everything Though I have to say I don't know much Talking about a past And future secret Most called him once And future king Far back in the past I saw his ending Long before it started I knew his name He's the one who took the sword Out of the stone It's how that ancient tale began I hear it in the cold winds"

To me this almost has to be Merlin voiced by again the bard telling the story as is all parts, it couldn't be Bedivere regardless of him being the last person with Arthur alive. Merlin was seer and had the ability of all knowledge as he aged backwards etc. The key part being "Far back in the past I saw his ending Long before it started I knew his name" - this cannot be Bedivere.

"My song of the end I had seen it in my dreams My song of the end I can't stop the darkening clouds"

Again Arthur and/or Merlin perhaps both. The both had dreams of Arthur's death, Arthur the night before the event, and Merlin as he warned him of all the events aforehand. Merlin warned him against many things that would ultimately be his undoing, the first of which wedding Guinevere which was the catalyst for all events leading to his death, Guinevere and Lancelot, the battles in France, Mored claiming the throne, Gawaine's death and Arthur's avision of his ghost warning his death. I think that part at least is his, "I can't stop the darkening clouds" Regardless of his warnings it all had to be played out. Either that or even with the avision when Arthur had the opportunity to kill Mordred even knowing it was his undoing he had to act.

"I feel cold When I cry out for the bark"

This to me is more likely Arthur than Bedivere. The reason being that Arthur sent him to throw Excalibur into the lake and he failed twice because he didn't want to throw such a great sword to the lake to be forgotten forever, only on the third time he actually threw the sword and the Lady claimed it. Then when he brought Arthur to the lake the barge was waiting. Morgana asked why Arthur was so long as his wound was "cold", to me it was Arthur feeling his death upon him crying out for the barge while Bedivere failed to do as he asked twice.

"Take him back to Avalon Dwell on for a new age So long sleep well my friend Take him back to Avalon I will wait and guard The future king's crown"

This may be the only part spoken by neither of the three aforementioned. Possibly being Morgana that said to take him back to Avalon. At this time Arthur said to Bedivere he would be taken to Avalon to be healed. The remaining part clearly being Bedivere,"So long sleep well my friend Take him back to Avalon I will wait and guard The future king's crown"

The closing being the hardest to decide on for me even though generally it is the chorus.

"My song of the end It was nice but now it's gone"

Bedivere saying his goodbyes, it was nice but now it's over, everyone was dead but him.

"My song of the end It was fixed the whole time My song of the end I saw it all"

Again, more than likely Merlin, and/or the storyteller/bard aka Hansi himself.

But only one person saw it from beginning to end before it ever happened, and that was Merlin.

It was fixed the whole time referring to regardless of warning Arthur's fate was for the most part sealed.

I saw it all, clearly well, he saw it all.

And that is my take on it. I've always felt it was more so Merlin's Prophesy because some parts could not be Bedivere, specifally those of visions that Merlin had or Arthur's avision of his death the night before. The remainder clearly fits with Bedivere. So overall I agree it is the bard and Hansi's tale, but parts of which are the viewpoint of Merlin, Arthur and Bedivere.

I'll be reading The Once and Future King next so we'll see if that changes my view, regardless this song is amazing and even more so to me now.

Peace.