Once you were a traveller a long long time ago,
and you shared your music before the fires flickering glow.
Songs they flow like life blood through the veins of history,
my princes and my princesses of the hollow tree.

Through the courts of the sorceress queens of ancient Japan,
to the fire temples of zoroaster in the deserts of Iran
and the dances of the travelling storytellers nomads in Rhajastan.

Once you were a stranger a long long time ago,
and we made you welcome before thefires warm glow
the strangeness of your customs the kindness of your eyes
may a blessing be upon you may the road before you rise.

To the heights of the source of the blue Nile
in the moantains of Ethiopia,
with its diamond crown of stars shines the constellation of casseiopia
like the flight of a wild swan reflected in the moonlight
across the water.

Once you were a traveller a long long time ago,
and you shared your music before the fires flickering glow.
Songs they flow like laughter through the veins of history,
a blossom on the branches of the sacred tree.