Birth of an Empire — Verse III

Some amongst men did not approve the King

Through the Great City some started to sing

About another land, Far East

Where all and one would find peace

Who travelled such an idea? well

No one inside the walls could tell

For the first time in the Kingdom reigned dissension

The King, now white of beard, wisely paid attention

And declared: « As the Nûwa did before

All men are free to leave, to cross this door

Should another land await you in the Far East

Ask yourself at first: are you running to the Beast?

Not one of us remembers it clearly

For we were still children, in the early

Our Goddess sent the Nûwa to protect us

The Panther in the darkness was not victorious »

All were reminded the terror of the first days

Some amongst the newer generation still gazed

Over the walls, to where each day the sun would rise

A hundred young men and women still crossed the gate

For driven by their convictions they had no freight

Or perhaps they were simply fooled, charmed

Evil’s lure a weak heart could disarm

***

East travelled a hundred men and women

And no harm came to them

For the Panther watched over the new citizen

Of its Mistress the Femme