This song was written about the Lewis Chessmen. "she holds her weary head" is a reference to the queen (although I was told she had toothache) "her heavy horsemen" are the knights and of course "paths of black and gold" is the chessboard. I think the song is speaking about seeing these objects from the past "out of an age when time was young" and wondering about the journey they have been on - how they got to the beach on Lewis where they were found, and what they have seen - "they come with tales too dark to speak", this and the chorus, refering to the deeds of their Viking owners.
This song was written about the Lewis Chessmen. "she holds her weary head" is a reference to the queen (although I was told she had toothache) "her heavy horsemen" are the knights and of course "paths of black and gold" is the chessboard. I think the song is speaking about seeing these objects from the past "out of an age when time was young" and wondering about the journey they have been on - how they got to the beach on Lewis where they were found, and what they have seen - "they come with tales too dark to speak", this and the chorus, refering to the deeds of their Viking owners.