The Nightingale and the Rose - Traditional

In the beginning, Allah the Ever Merciful created the Earth. In that creation, he made the plants, the animals that fly, that swim, and those that creep. His one commandment to all these, was one that they faithfully carry out to this day, which is to: "Go forth, be fruitful, and multiply".

Now, the most beautiful of all the plants was the rose. But she was not then as she is now, in the beginning, her slender stem was smooth and unmarred, and her petals were of the purest white.

Most alluring of all, was her fragrance. So sweet and delightful was it, that all of the animals would try to entice her to open her petals, that they could catch even a whiff of it.

Of all the animals, the one that had the greatest success in convincing the rose to open her petals was the nightingale. Often would he fly past her, singing a glorious song of true love, pure and without reservation, and when the rose heard it, her heart swelled and she could not help herself but open her petals to better hear the beautiful music. As the days went by the nightingale would fly closer and closer as he sang his love song for the rose, and the rose would open her petals wider and wider, until one day, they gave in to the love they both felt, and embraced.

Allah, the All-Knowing, was greatly saddened upon seeing this, as their love was not one that fit with his grand design. Seeking to return them to the path of wisdom, Allah went to the lovers and spoke unto them:

"Know my children, that there is no greater gift that two can have for each other than true love and companionship. However, this love of yours cannot be. It is the way of things that each should love best their own kind, else Creation be undone. Therefore, I must forbid this love of yours, and command you never again to attempt to consummate it, lest your suffering be even greater."

The nightingale and the rose were both heartbroken at the Word of Allah, but they could do nothing, the will of Allah is as law for us all. To ease his suffering, the nightingale took to flying at night, he still sang beautifully, but his song now was not of the joy of true love, rather it was a song of love lost, of seperation, and of yearning. The rose kept her petals tightly closed at night, to try to block out the nightingale's song of loss, that echoed so painfully in her own heart.

Days and nights went by, with the nightingale singing his song of lost love, and the rose doing her best to block out the sound of it, by staying tightly closed, until one night, she could bear it no longer, and she opened her petals wide. On smelling her sweet fragrance, the nightingale was overcome with desire and swooped down to her. The moment they embraced, sharp thorns erupted from her vines, piercing the breast of the nightingale, and spilling his heart's blood on the rose's pure white petals, staining them red.

And so it is to this day, that the nightingale flies at night, and sings of lost love; and so it is that the rose's vines are thorned as a reminder of the prohibition of Allah, and her petals are forever stained red with the blood the nightingale, who sacrificed himself for love;

For My Lord, He Calls and I Go - Lyrics and Tune by Brian C. Bertrand

The lands I now hold were my fathers' of old;
Well tended and guarded they are;
Spring planting is finished, the lambs in the fold;
The call comes, a summons to war;
For my lord, he calls and I go;

Chorus
I've left home and family to fight for my lord;
To call for my sword is his right;
I'll follow his banner whatever the toll;
For glory and honor I'll fight;
For my lord, he calls and I go;

We gather full armed, mighty knights some ten score;
We each swear that we go to fight;
To bring sword and bow to the Holy Land far;
To free it from seracens' blight;
For my lord, he calls and I go;

Chorus

For a year we traveled along the hard road;
Through battle and illness and grief;
We stand before Acre, a siege we do hold;
To seize her and take her in fief;
For my lord, he calls and I go;

Chorus

The dead lie scattered, faces ashen and cold;
Fair Acre is now held in thrall;
The fall of Jerusalem thus is foretold;
As life fades, I hear Heaven's call;
For my Lord, he calls and I go;

Final Chorus
I left home and family to fight for my lord;
To call for my sword was his right;
Though I fell in battle, fear not for my soul;
I stand now before Heaven's light;
For my Lord, he calls and I go;

For my Lord, he calls and I go;