Lo! Long ago in times now lost

Ere Bree was built on the broad fields

Ere Hobbit delved his holes in the hills

Ere Elf walked the eaves of the Old Forest,

Ancient Cardolan reigned, a kingdom of Arnor

Spires on walls, cities on fields,

Towering castles ruled by Princes and Kings.

But peace could not prosper; armies poured from the North

War was waged against the Witch-King's rule.

Bravely fought Cardolan but fate betrayed her

Armies of Angmar swept over the walls

The forces of Rhudaur ruined Cardolan's roads

Blood ran in rivulets between the bricks of the walls.



The Prince of Cardolan courageously stood;

The last of his line he stood long against Angmar

Valiant he fought yet was vanquished at last

By the Witch-King's black arts his bravery failed him

His will was shattered, his spirit was shaken

Though not slain, he swooned into sleep unbroken.



As fell the Prince, so waned his power

Cardolan fell to the Angmarim foe.

The last of her people were left without ruler

The remnant took refuge in the Old Forest's realm.

They buried their Prince asleep in a barrow

Thinking him slain they sang his lament.

In the Forest they hid forgotten by friends

Until wind from the South wrought their undoing;

A plague-wind from Mordor withered the people

Their cities lay empty, their fields lay abandoned

The people dwindled as death took them all

The barrows filled with plague-stricken bodies,

But the evil curse had not yet run it's course.

By fell magic and spells the Dead walked the moors

Driven forth from their graves under pale, gibbous moon



Cardolan lay forgotten the kingdom unremembered

Time threw down the towers to dust they returnèd

Men came from far lands and found fields to their liking

Bree was built among Cardolan's bones



And still the Prince sleeps beneath earth and stone

His name lost with his kingdom he sleeps his cursed sleep

Dreams in his barrow of ancient battles forgotten

He waits to be wakened by a wandering maiden

For his curse to be ended and his kingdom to rise.

He waits for a queen to rule Cardolan with him

That the majesty of old might return once again

And raise his fallen people to defeat Angmar's plague.