Allye/Performances/The Saga of Klineklaus

The saga of Klineklaus is a collection of songs written by Allye, about a tiny white jousting mouse. Audience members are encouraged to all chant, "Klineklaus! Klineklaus!" after each chorus.

An addition to the series was written by Kethrai and performed at his TART Arthe Dale Concert.

Klineklaus the Jousting Mouse

Allye gets a rosewood mandolin with delicate mother-of-pearl inlay from inside her carrying case.

Allye adjusts her rencate pick.

(Allye plucks a few notes on her mandolin, then a single strummed chord. She nods to herself.)

Allye nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Allye says, "I give you, "Klineklaus the Jousting Mouse."

Allye tries hard not to grin.

(Allye begins to pick a plinking song on her rosewood mandolin. The melody skips along cheerfully, tripping and winding as it goes.)

Allye lightly sings in a soprano voice:

   "A long time ago, among hillocks and knolls
    In a town that we now may call Arthe Dale,
    There lived a small mouse, by name Klineklaus,
    Who dreamed dreams too big to prevail."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Our dear Klineklaus, he so longed to joust
    He yearned for that clashing of steel
    The roar of the crowd, the feeling so proud
    Of triumph and valor and zeal."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Our dear Klineklaus, he so longed to joust
    He yearned for that clashing of steel!
    The roar of the crowd, the feeling so proud
    Of triumph and valor and zeal."


Allye's face lights up with joy.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune,
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    We sing his acclaim:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "His mother would cry, for fear he would die
    Be skewered or squashed beneath hoof,
    He paid her no heed, for who here indeed
    Has time for poor mothers' reproof?"


Allye clucks her tongue and shakes her head.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He took for his steed a large centipede,
    A lady's hairpin for his lance,
    His field was assembled, his quintain a thimble
    And thus he perfected his stance."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Again and again, in sunshine or rain,
    He toppled that thimble each pass,
    Until it was time, his mettle was primed,
    To show off his prowess at last."


(Allye taps her feet to the infectious rhythm, her voice growing louder as the song builds toward the chorus once more.)

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune,
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    We sing his acclaim:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He waited til dawn and then he was gone,
    With a pledge and a kiss for mom's cheek,
    He traveled for days, not once lost his way,
    And finally he stopped with a squeak."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He blinked his bright eyes at a glorious sight,
    An arena that climbed to the sky,
    The din of the throng to him seemed a song,
    He saw not the stares he walked by."


Allye beams!

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "His dream hit a snag, by the pedantic nag
    Who sat at the registrar's table,
    The man simply brayed and turned him away,
    But a voice said, "He jousts if he's able!""


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He looked all around, expecting some sound
    Mind braced for dissent and offense,
    He turned to the voice, yet heard not a noise,
    For who could it be but the Prince?"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune,
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    We sing his acclaim:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye lightly sings in a soprano voice:

   "With that royal blessing, there was no suppressing,
    Our brave little hero's fate sealed,
    And so with a cheer, he took up his gear,
    And trotted out onto the field."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He basked in the sound of the mystified crowd,
    Their gasps and their cries filled his heart,
    He eyed the arrival of his human-sized rival,
    At last they were signaled to start."


(Allye leans forward with a teasing smile, her eyes shining with mirth.)

Allye asks, "And what do you think happened?"

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He kicked up his steed, that true centipede,
    A hundred small legs now did thunder,
    He set his small stance and squared up his lance,
    As the foes hurtled towards one another."


Allye gnaws on her lip.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "A deafening crash, a blinding steel flash,
    And then when the dust at last ceded,
    All cheers and applause were for Klineklaus,
    His opponent completely unseated!"


(Allye lets out a whooping, joyful cheer, propelling her song ever forward.)

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "And so on it went for the whole tournament,
    Our tiny mouse triumphed with grace,
    In match after match, he took not a scratch,
    And at last was awarded first place."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He stood by his prize, and pride filled his eyes,
    The adoring crowd bursting its seams,
    He gave a wee smirk, for with some hard work,
    He proved we must follow our dreams!"


Allye flashes a wide grin.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune,
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    We sing his acclaim:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


(Allye gives her mandolin a final strum. She tucks the instrument under her arm and sinks into a quick curtsy.)

Klineklaus and the Merelew Joust

Allye says, "So some of you may have heard a little song at the finals about a small brave mouse who yearned to joust..." 

Allye perks up her ears happily.

Allye asks, "And if you didn't, well. Hopefully you'll still like this?"

Allye shifts her weight.

Allye says, "If not, that's okay."

Allye exclaims, "Maybe!"

Allye squints.

Allye smiles brightly and gives an energetic nod to the musicians seated nearby. They lift their instruments into position and quickly strike up a lively jig!

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Gather 'round one and all, and let us recall
    The tale of a rodent so bold,
    The tiniest mouse, by name Klineklaus,
    The joustingest champ to behold."


Allye beams!

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Last that we'd seen, he'd followed his dream,
    Across lands he was never defeated.
    He won every heart and perfected the art,
    Clashing steel without being unseated!"


Allye nods emphatically.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    Again sing his acclaim,
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye lets out a loud "Huzzah!"

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "The kronars rolled in with every great win,
    And fans lined each street where he'd go,
    His mother so proud of course he endowed
    With a grand knoll on Tanglefoot Row."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "But somehow he still felt yet unfulfilled,
    The trophies seemed dull on their shelf,
    He wandered away down to quiet Arthe Bay,
    Leaving his centipede steed to itself."


Allye nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He sat at the dock, and threw out a rock,
    To watch the splash some feet away,
    He gazed out and sighed, but suddenly spied
    A furry small face in the bay!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Up popped a head, and quickly she said,
    "I've been looking all over for you!"
    The wee otter swam from water to land,
    Her eyes filled with fawning and dew."


Allye beams!

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He smiled just a tad, still sad but now glad
    With Pip there he felt more okay,
    She turned and conferred, "Oh, Klaus, have you heard?
    The Merelew Joust starts today!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He perked up at last, his sorrows now past,
    She'd answered his most desperate prayer,
    A challenge to meet, far under the sea,
    The friends cheered and rushed to prepare!"


Allye beams!

Allye excitedly sings in a soprano voice:

   "At home he picked up a shiny glass cup,
    To don as his helm full of air,
    Returning, he found Pip gathered around
    A seahorse to carry him there."


Allye gets a blue trimmed hobbyhorse with a turquoise sequined seahorse head from inside her shimmering strip.

Allye raises a blue trimmed hobbyhorse with a turquoise sequined seahorse head high into the air for all to see.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    Again sing his acclaim,
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "And so down they swam, from surface to sand,
    Til a towering coral arena appeared
    His eyes were agleam, as once they had been
    Towards wonder and awe again steered."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "But the Merelew crowd, first raucous and loud,
    Gazed silently with unblinking eyes,
    He faltered a bit, so different was it
    From the familiar smiles, cheers, and cries."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "His opponent was fierce, her scaly brow pierced,
    With pointy toothed sneer and honed glance,
    Her large narwhal mount, seemed much to surmount,
    Its horn formed a fearsome sharp lance."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He noticed all this, but Pip's paw found his,
    And she gave him an encouraging smile.
    His courage rebuilt, and he turned to the tilt,
    As his seahorse sped on to their trial."


Allye flashes a wide grin.

Allye stands astride herr blue trimmed hobbyhorse and gallops it around the room.

Allye intensely sing in a soprano voice:

   "Cool water then rushed along fur as he flushed,
    His sea urchin spine lance lost its lift,
    He gathered his nerves, stance fixed with some verve,
    And leaned forward to meet his foe swift."


Allye winks and flashes a sly grin.

Allye curiously asks, "And what do you think? Can Klineklaus beat these incredibly stacked underwater odds?"

Allye giggle.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "They flew to each other, in a chaos of bubbles
    And the competitors were hidden from view,
    The water then cleared, to fin slaps and cheers,
    For our hero had won this time too!"


Allye beams!

Allye happily sings in a soprano voice:

   "With a loud whooping yell, the mouse's heart swelled
    He rushed then to Pip in a blur,
    He gave her a smooch, and I guess it is true
    That otters can blush through their fur!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    Again sing his acclaim,
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


(Allye stretches out the arm holding her hobby horse, tilting it forward into a glassy-eyed bow as she dips into a deep curtsy.)

Klineklaus Learns to Fly, a Song for Emyrose

Allye plucks a tiny white house mouse from a lilac heartstring lace ball strung with tiny silver bells, the creature yawning as she wakes it up. 

Allye pats a tiny white house mouse. 

Allye carefully places a tiny white house mouse on her shoulder.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Let's return once again, across woodland and glen,
    To a village of tarts and fun slides,
    Where lives a fair mouse, our dear Klineklaus,
    With the sweet otter Pip, his new bride."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Our champion brave, o'er land and 'neath wave,
    Seemed at last to have met his own match.
    They wed in late spring, and exchanged tiny rings,
    Vows sealed in a dewed clover patch."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "And then they set sail, said farewell to Arthe Dale,
    As they cast off on their honeymoon.
    In their open book raft, they kissed and they laughed,
    And they took turns to row with their spoon."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "They soon were aground, and looked all around,
    At the lush jungle beach there to rove,
    As they walked hand in hand, they met Bacon Man,
    Who said, "Welcome to lovely Fang Cove!""


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "They scampered and went through cabanas and tents,
    But suddenly stopped, both enthralled.
    For spread all around, across the whole town,
    A bright crowded circus was sprawled."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "The tiny mouse beamed, his eyes all agleam,
    For food and for games and for thrill,
    His Pip tugged him hence, as a show did commence
    On a stage at the top of a hill."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "The pair gazed in awe at the glitz and hoopla
    As a woman swung up in the air.
    Atop her trapeze, the lass swayed with ease,
    And the wind flirted with her dark hair."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Like a sweeping high dance, the lady advanced,
    To simply swing back once again,
    Her limber form twirled, to amaze all the world
    As she soared through her lofty domain."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "The nimble performer swung lower and lower,
    'Til at last her feet graced the wood stage,
    With crystal clear voice, she asked the crowd's choice
    For a partner for her to engage."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "Pip squealed and gave shout, pointed to her fair mouse,
    While Klaus seemed a moment confused.
    But those lilac eyes flashed, with a chuckling laugh,
    And she grabbed up his paw and swung true."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He flipped through the air, and he hardly knew where,
    But landed safely upon the girl's shoulder,
    They flew higher until the mouse nearly felt ill,
    The air seeming thinner and colder."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "But the people below cheered in droves for the show,
    A loud chant rising then to his ears,
    Again and again, the crowd sang his refrain,
    And he threw aside all of his fears!"


Allye loudly sings in a soprano voice:

   "For glory, for fortune,
    For honor and fame,
    Our brave jousting mouse,
    We sing his acclaim:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He took up a pose, threw his arm wide and rose,
    And he sailed forth appearing most gallant.
    Purple eyes bright beside him, a dainty outstretched limb
    Proved a happy showcase of their talents."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He gazed down to his mate with her mouth all agape
    As she stared up in wonder and glee,
    The look in her eyes then seemed the best prize
    That ever he'd won, on land or in sea."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "The trapeze dipped once more to the wooden stage floor,
    The performers stepped down with finesse.
    Klineklaus reappeared beside his otter so dear,
    And led the crowd in a raucous address."


Allye brightly sings in a soprano voice:

   "For beauty, for brilliance,
    For dedication and art,
    Our illustrious friend,
    We sing her applause:
    Emyrose!  Emyrose!"

The Death of Klineklaus*

(Allye begins to pick a plinking song on her rosewood mandolin.)

Allye clears her throat.

(Allye's melody skips along cheerfully for a moment, but the tempo soon becomes distorted and disjointed, eventually slowing to a near crawl.  Discordant notes continue in a crooked echo of the earlier theme.)

Allye clears her throat.

Allye gravely says, "The Death of Klineklaus."

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "It's time now to sing the worst song that one might,
    Too short and too cruel to cherish.
    A song that I never once thought I would write,
    Wherein our jousting mouse must perish."


Allye gets a grim expression on her face.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "No glory, no fortune,
    No honor or fame,
    Can save our dear mouse,
    So remember his name:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


(Allye lets out a shuddering sigh as her terrible song winds along, slow and interminable.)

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "I'll spare you the details, the violence and gore,
    The splash of red blood on white fur.
    Instead let's remember that bold friend of yore,
    Who dreamed dreams too big to defer."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "No more shall he raise his keen hairpin lance,
    Atop his fair centipede steed.
    No more shall crowds cheer on his steady advance,
    To exalt every win and each deed."


Allye's ears droop dejectedly as a look of melancholy crosses her face.

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "No glory, no fortune,
    No honor or fame,
    Can save our dear mouse,
    So remember his name:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "He's survived by the otter, his darling true Pip,
    Who drowns day by day in her grief.
    Her heart remains clutched in the cold, cruel grip
    Of that pain with no hope of relief."


Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "There's no more to say, there's no saving grace
    In this song that is worse than all songs.
    Klineklaus is now dead, and we're left to face
    This world without right, only wrongs."

Allye sings in a soprano voice:

   "No glory, no fortune,
    No honor or fame,
    Can save our dear mouse,
    So remember his name:
    Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"

(Allye's song reaches an abrupt end, the notes of the mandolin interrupted without any closure.  The final dissonant chord hangs in the air, ugly and unpleasant.)

*The song "The Death of Klineklaus" has been banned and its author threatened with violence, as was appropriate.

Klineklaus the Jousting Mouse and the Kingdom in the Sky, written and performed by Kethrai

(Kethrai drums his fingers and thumb on the soundbox of his lute, providing percussion while he strums along with a simple folk dance melody.)

Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Once more do we turn, through scrubgrass and fern,
   To the verdure surrounding Arthe Dale.
   Where a mouse and an otter have adopted a daughter
   Named Bristlebrush after her tail."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Their home life is gleeful with this impish young weasel,
   Who climbs, jumps, and tears through the house.
   Domesticity agrees with, and his wife is well pleased with,
   Our fierce champion Klineklaus."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Yet sometimes in quiet, though he'd try to deny it,
   Comes the call to adventure and fame.
   Drumming hoofbeats he yearns for, acclaim should he earn more,
   And raucous crowds cheering his name."


Kethrai strongly sings in a baritone voice:

  "For glory, for fortune,
   For honor and praise,
   That brave jousting mouse,
   Our voices upraised:
   Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "One eve as he sipped clover tea with his Pip,
   She told him in all gravity,
   "It's clear from your sighs and horizon-locked eyes,
   You're hungry for new gallantry.""


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  ""And as long as you swear you'll return safe to your heir,
   I give you my leave to adventure."
   By that night he was packed, all his equipment intact
   While he dreamed of the letters he'd send her."


Kethrai brightly sings in a baritone voice:

  "For marriage, for family,
   For hearth and for home,
   We sing for his safety,
   Wherever he roams:
   Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Not a day since his parting, while that day was yet starting,
   He was spied by an owl court duchess.
   She leapt from her branch, a fleet avalanche,
   And our jouster fell into her clutches."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  ""Peace," cried the owl, as with a fierce scowl,
   The mouse made to draw forth his steel.
   "Your strength is well known, and in the name of her throne,
   My queen bade me present you a deal.""


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Skyward she carried him, above mountains she ferried him,
   To a kingdom built into the clouds.
   Under downfeather banners flew birds of all manner,
   And each paused when they saw him and bowed."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "Then Klaus received word from the queen of all birds
   Who begged him to please spare no haste.
   He rushed to her court and proclaimed his support
   For he saw there was no time to waste."


Kethrai boldly sings in a baritone voice:

  "For honor, for valor,
   For old and new friends,
   We cry out the name
   Of that mouse who defends:
   Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  ""The clans of the giants, in fearsome alliance
   Have raised up and hailed a high lord,"
   She dreadfully quailed, then in great detail,
   Recounted misdeeds of his horde."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "The giants proclaimed the highest-stakes game,
   A joust to inherit their crown:
   Whoever the victor -- and no rule could be stricter --
   The giant clans all would bow down."


Kethrai bravely sings in a baritone voice:

  "For a lance Klaus was gifted a tail-feather lifted
   From the ash of a phoenix's nest.
   And he could carry no aegis a whit more prestigious
   Than the queen's egg-shell by Rutilor blessed."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  ""And what shall I ride so I may joust in the sky?"
   Asked the valiant mouse chevalier.
   "I beg that distinction, may it halt our extinction,"
   Cried the duchess who'd carried him here."


You valiantly sing in a baritone voice:

  "For triumph, for justice,
   For victory true,
   Our brave jousting mouse,
   We sing his virtue:
   Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "He appeared come the morning, with his bird crowds adoring,
   Across the dark thundercloud field.
   The giant lord rounded on the drake he was mounted,
   And hefted a haralun shield."

Kethrai dramatically sings in a baritone voice:

  "With a defiant great howl, the mouse spurred forth his owl,
   And the giant lord met this first pass.
   The foe's lance flew wide, and though his own did collide,
   He saw no hope he could unseat such mass."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "So to make one last stand, he turned feather in hand,
   And brushed the drake's snout on next tilt.
   He again dodged with ease, then a thunderous sneeze
   And off his saddle the giant was spilt."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  "There raised raucuous applause, among hoots and ca-caws,
   From the jubilant avian throng.
   Klineklaus had surmounted, and so he dismounted
   Facing giants whose doubts he'd proved wrong."


Kethrai sings in a baritone voice:

  ""I seek not your crown," he announced with a frown,
   "I just want your warring to cease.
   My sole decree as your king, before I once more take wing,
   Is you must live with your neighbors in peace.""


Kethrai cheerfully sings in a baritone voice:

  "To Arthe Dale he returned, the more glory he'd earned,
   But it felt hollow to win it alone.
   The lesson he'd taken, his faith still unshaken:
   The true treasure was waiting at home."


Kethrai merrily sings in a baritone voice:

  "For glory, for fortune
   For honor and fame,
   Our brave jousting mouse,
   Once more sing his acclaim,
   Klineklaus! Klineklaus!"


(Kethrai plays a stirring and adventuresome outro befitting the bravest jousting mouse, ended by a loud double-strum of chords into silence.)