Question Song

The Question Song was a song written during the Eighth Interval. It was composed by MasterHarper Creline.

Lyrics

Gone away, gone ahead,

Echoes roll unanswered.

Empty, open, dusty, dead.

Why have all the Weyrfolk fled?

Where have dragons gone together?

Leaving Weyrs to wind and weather?

Setting heardbeasts free of tether?

Gone, our safeguards, gone, but whither?

Have they flown to some new Weyr

Where cruel Thread some others fear?

Are they worlds away from here?

Why, oh, why, the empty Weyr?

Background

The Question Song was composed in the Eighth Interval following the disappearance of five of the six Weyrs. It was widely considered to be an uneasy song, which may have led to its removal as a Teaching Ballad. The song was found in the Archives by Robinton while copying some worm-eaten records under Master Archivist Ogolly. Robinton sang it at Benden Hold, which made then-Weyrleader S'loner recall learning it as a weyrling. Master Singer Merelan was unable to find the song in the Hold large archives. F'lon mentioned that maybe G'ranad, the former Weyrleader, had removed it.

As the Ninth Interval began, the Question Song came back into use, as Robinton remembered it when the sole remaining Weyr, Benden Weyr, asked for the assistance of the Holds and Crafts in dealing with the return of Thread. Lessa, Benden's Weyrwoman, realized that the song held clues as to the whereabouts of the missing Weyrs, and believed that they had come to the future to help combat Thread. Lessa traveled into the past and requested the Weyrs' assistance. Before leaving, Lessa commissioned the Question Song to provide the clues she would need.

Notes

In Dragonflight, the second line is:

"Echoes away, gone unanswered."

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Appearances

• The Masterharper of Pern
• The Masterharper of Pern (CD)
• The Masterharper of Pern (Songbook)
• Dragonflight
• Dragonsong (mention)