The Seven Songs of Merlin

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The Seven Songs of Merlin
Author	T. A. Barron
Country	U.S.A.
Language	English
Series	The Lost Years of Merlin
Genre(s)	Fantasy
Publisher	Philomel Books
Publication date	1997
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	336 pp (hardcover edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-399-25021-7
Preceded by	The Lost Years of Merlin
Followed by	The Fires of Merlin

The Seven Songs of Merlin is a work of children's literature by T.A. Barron, published by Ace. The Seven Songs of Merlin is the second story in a five story arc.^[1] These books chronicle the childhood of Merlin.

[edit] Plot summary

The story starts of at the remains of the shrouded castle. Creatures from almost every race appear at the meeting. They decide to do with the Treasures of Fincayra. Since the Dark Hills are still in the Blight, they decide who should heal them using the Flowering Harp. After many try, Merlin tries. At first it appears as if nothing happened, but soon grass appears on his boots. After this, he is chosen to use the Flowering Harp on the Dark Hills, before the goblins and wraiths can come out.

The story continues with Merlin still in the Dark Hills. As soon as that happens, he tries to make a beech bend, so he can go to the top. Rhia though stops him. While they stop to eat, Merlin gets an idea. He goes to the west to see Garlatha and T´eilan in hopes of impressing them with the harp. Rhia starts to follow him, telling him that he still needs a guide. When he gets there he tries to show them the harp but they are more interested in Rhia than Merlin. Upset he storms off.

He sleeps by a river, upset about everything. When he falls asleep, he sees his mother, but then his teeth start growing and they stab his eyes. When he wakes up, he hears crying. He finds that the sobbing is coming from inside the river. He finds a flask. When he opens it, he feels a warm air. Then he hears a voice. The voice tells him her name is Aylah and that she is a wind sister. When he tries to play the harp, instead of everything growing, everything dies. After some probing from Aylah, Merlin realizes that he misses his mother. After he finds a way to bring her to Fincayra, she becomes terribly ill.^[2]

[edit] The Seven Songs

The Seven Songs refer to the seven major arts of Wizardry. These arts are Changing, Binding, Protecting, Naming, Leaping, Eliminating, and Seeing. A song written on the walls inside Arbassa by Merlin's grand father Tuatha (Merlin's Sister's Home, an Oak Tree) tells of these seven arts and it is only by finding the "Souls of the Songs" that Merlin can begin to master these arts and venture into the Otherworld to retrieve the cure for his Mother. The Song goes as follows:

The Seven Songs of Wizardry,
One melody and many,
May guide ye to the Otherworld,
Though hope ye have not any.

Divine the truth within each Song
Before ye may proceed.
For truths like trees for ages grow,
Yet each begins a seed.

Pursue the Seven Songs in turn;
The parts beget the whole.
But never move until ye find
Each Song's essential soul.

The lesson Changing be the first,
A treeling knows it well.
The power Binding be the next,
As Lake of Face can tell.
The skill Protecting be the third,
Like dwarves who tunnel deep.
The art of Naming be the fourth,
A secret Slantos keep.
The power Leaping be the fifth,
In Varigal beware.
Eliminating be the sixth,
A sleeping dragon's lair.
The gift of Seeing be the last,
Forgotten Island's spell.
And now ye may attempt to find
The Otherworldly Well.
But lo! Do not approach the Well
Until the Songs are done.
For dangers stalk your every step,
With Balor's eye but one.

The soul of each song is as follows:
Changing - All of us, all living things, have the potential to change. Merlin also thinks of a relevant saying his mother told him - The butterfly can change from a mere worm to the most beautiful creature of all. And the soul, my son, can do the same.
Binding - The strongest bonds are of the heart
Protecting - The best way to protect something is to set it free.
Naming - For a true name holds true power
Leaping - Everything is connected to everything else.
Eliminating - Every living thing is precious somehow.
Seeing - The heart can see things invisible to the eye.