My "gift" to the crewe

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;

and listen to others,

even the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,

they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,

you may become vain and bitter;

for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;

for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

many persons strive for high ideals;

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love;

for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment

it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,

no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,

whatever you conceive Him to be,

and whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

----------------------------------------------------

'if' by rudyard kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Take heart and keep faith in ourselves that we can all overcome that which would destroy a lesser kind than we.

Bo

[Rumba Rue]

Very nice.

Many people who have seen me within the last few months will tell you, I'm quite happy. Even though I have days of pain in my hips, I still smile and be happy and many are surprised that I have such a good attitude. Why not?

My gift is my smile at people

It makes my heart sing when I smile.

To pass on my happiness to the highest steeple.

I even smile at the smallest child.

In a world of chaos and uncertainty

I bring light to the faces of many

A simple flower of truth,

Is my smile to all of you.

Blessed Be.

Rumba Rue

[Mary Diamond]

Captain Bo ~

Words never truer spoken ~ thank you so much for your post.

[Badger]

Thank ye all from me as well. Ye have gi'en me a smile, an' an ache in me throat...

I gets great enjoyment from dressin' in me costumes, an' paradin' about, but in th' end, th' most greatest joy fer me is brightening th' lives o' others wi' me tomfoolery. Th' smile on a childs (or parents!) face is th' best reward.

I would bet anything I own that most o' ye would say th' same!

[Quartermaster James]

Thank ye Bo!

Here's one from me to you and the crewe.

Slainte!

Health to the Company (Traditional)

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme

And lift up your voices in chorus with mine

Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain

For we may and might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the company and one to my lass

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass

Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain

For we may and might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the dear lass that I love so well

Her style and her beauty, sure none can excel

She smiles on my countenance and sits on me knee

Sure there's no one in Erin as happy as we

Our ship lies at harbor, she's ready to dock

I hope she's safe landed without any shock

If ever I meet you by land or by sea

I will always remember your kindness to me

[Elena]

I am offering you all two of the theme songs I use for my characters... youtube links and translation into English.

I'll start by translating the lyrics of Sol's theme song - "La cancion del pirata" by Tierra Santa, for everybody to understand

The Song of the Pirate

(translation into English by James Kennedy, so that it rhymes! )

The breeze fair aft, all sails on high,

Ten guns on each side mounted seen,

She does not cut the sea, but fly,

A swiftly sailing brigantine;

A pirate bark, the "Dreaded" named,

For her surpassing boldness famed,

On every sea well-known and shore,

From side to side their boundaries o'er.

The moon in streaks the waves illumes

Hoarse groans the wind the rigging through;

In gentle motion raised assumes

The sea a silvery shade with blue;

Whilst singing gaily on the poop

The pirate Captain, in a group,

Sees Europe here, there Asia lies,

And Stamboul in the front arise.

"Sail on, my swift one! nothing fear;

Nor calm, nor storm, nor foeman's force,

Shall make thee yield in thy career

Or turn thee from thy course.

Despite the English cruisers fleet

We have full twenty prizes made;

And see their flags beneath my feet

A hundred nations laid.

My treasure is my gallant bark,

My only God is liberty;

My law is might, the wind my mark,

My country is the sea.

There blindly kings fierce wars maintain,

For palms of land, when here I hold

As mine, whose power no laws restrain,

Whate'er the seas infold.

Nor is there shore around whate'er,

Or banner proud, but of my might

Is taught the valorous proofs to bear,

And made to feel my right.

My treasure is my gallant bark,

My only God is liberty;

My law is might, the wind my mark,

My country is the sea.

Look when a ship our signals ring,

Full sail to fly how quick she's veered!

For of the sea I am the king,

My fury's to be feared;

But equally with all I share

Whate'er the wealth we take supplies;

I only seek the matchless fair,

My portion of the prize.

My treasure is my gallant bark,

My only God is liberty;

My law is might, the wind my mark,

My country is the sea.

I am condemned to die !I laugh;

For, if my fates are kindly sped,

My doomer from his own ship's staff

Perhaps I'll hang instead.

And if I fall, why what is life?

For lost I gave it then as due,

When from slavery's yoke in strife

A rover! I withdrew.

My treasure is my gallant bark,

My only God is liberty;

My law is might, the wind my mark,

My country is the sea.

My music is the Northwind's roar;

The bellowings of the Black Sea's shore,

And rolling of my guns.

And as the thunders loudly sound,

And furious the tempests rave,

I calmly rest in sleep profound,

So rocked upon the wave.

My treasure is my gallant bark,

My only God is liberty;

My law is might, the wind my mark,

My country is the sea.

(listen to it at

)

And a song of the French corsairs, which had circulated in many versions for many years, each talking about another corsair and ships of another dimension (the number of cannons, e.g., varies up to double from a song to another). Lastly it was attributed to the taking of "Kent" by Robert Surcouf in 1800, but then it was Napoleon's time, and the toast "To the health of the King of France" lasts definitely for fifty years earlier at least.

On the thirty-first of August

"On the thirty-first of August

We saw approaching under sail

An English frigate

Cutting through the sea and the waves

In order to attack Bordeaux.

Chorus:

Let's drink a cup, la la, let's drink in two draughts,

To the health of true lovers;

To the health of the King of France,

And damned be the King of England,

Who has declared war on us!

The commander of the ship

Summoned his lieutenant:

"Lieutenant, do you feel able,

Do you feel strong enough

To board and take the Englishman?"

The proud and hardy lieutenant

Replied, "Yes, Captain;

Call all hands to their stations:

I shall hoist our colours,

Which will stay aloft, we swear it."

The master blew his whistle

To call all hands on deck:

All was made ready for the boarding,

Hardy topmen, proud sailors,

Brave gunners, wee cabin boys.

Turning our back to the wind as we came up.

I boarded her at her forepart;

With hatchet and grenade,

With pike, sabre and musketoon,

Quick as a flash I had her all in order.

What will they say of the great big tub,

In Brest, in London, and in Bordeaux,

That let its crew be taken

By a ship with eleven cannons,

When it had sixty good ones! "

(listen to the song at

))

And you might like one for a mercenary too - "La Cruz de Santiago" by "Mago de Oz" (which I understood it was dedicated initially to Captain Alatriste)

He wasn’t the most honest man, but he

Was a brave and loyal man.

Nonetheless, mercy didn’t take shelter inside him.

He lived poorly, hiring for three coins

His sword and dagger,

In less bright business with worse purposes.

There were hard times and one had to seek his bread.

The sword, the roguery and threat were ruling then.

The steel sparkles in his hand

the sweat pearls on his face -

He will go where the sea has no ruler!

He will go seeking…

Against his back, a shadow

Was following his footsteps

Without missing any detail,

Seeming to learn.

His gaze reflected calm and peace,

His deep and familiar voice

Told ancient legends.

Something mysterious envelopped him

They say he was feeding

on the folk stories about him.

The Cross of Santiago brights on his chest,

In the sun rays.

He never uncovered his face,

He hid his name.

In the weaving of the Time,

In the knotting of dreams

A voice is choking:

“Don’t believe everything you see,

Take into account only your intuition,

And if you foster any doubt

You’ll never find consolation inside you!

Launch well your given facts

Because the road game has started!

Sharpen your skills,

help yourself with magic, use the tarot

Read in the soul of the forest

And guess where death did hide!

The steel sparkles in his hand

the sweat pearls on his face -

He will go where the sea has no ruler!

The Cross of Santiago brights on his chest,

In the sun rays.

He never uncovered his face!

(listen to it at

)) Edited August 20, 2010 by Elena