YURINN

(Tune: "Rimmon")

Duly with knees that bend and sway,	
Slurred speech and eyes that sink,	
Yet one more time ere the coming day	
In Yurinn's house I drink.	

The torchlight veils a host of sins,	
The music soothes my soul,	
And the great gold pot-bellied idol grins	
And pees into my bowl.	

This is Yurinn, Lord of the Lewd,	
Master of Jest and Song!	
And again the wine in my cup is renewed	
By the god's gigantic prong.	

Once I worshipped a god of Light	
And vowed in his cause to die;	
Till in a heathen town one night	
I heard a strangled cry.	

Young and high-minded, how could I suspect?	
I looked, and there I found	
Some three of my comrades of the god's elect	
With a child upon the ground.	

My comrades I slew before they could begin
An act that would shame a beast.
With the god's own sword I avenged their sin
And knew myself no true priest.

Running from my friends, as never from a foe,
I came to a temple door,
And heard a voice that I did not know
Saying "Enter, and slay no more."

I entered the temple and cried out in fear
For I thought it the gate of hell,
But the drunken god with his three-tongued leer
Has treated me monstrous well.

Praised be Yurinn, King of the Pot,
Prince of the Perfumed Night!
There is far more good in an honest sot
Than twenty false warriors of Light.

When I see the sun I shall rise again
And for all my sins atone:
But there are no windows in Yurinn's fane
For the coming of day to be known.

Therefore with knees that gladly bend,
Slurred speech and eyes that sink,
For this one night that shall never end
In Yurinn's house I drink.