The Seven Songs of Merlin - The Seven Songs

The Seven Songs

The Seven Songs refer to the seven major arts of Wizardry. These arts are Changing, Binding, Protecting, Naming, Leaping, Eliminating, and Seeing. A song written on the walls inside Arbassa (Merlin's Sister's Home, an Oak Tree) by Merlin's grand father Tuatha tells of these seven arts and it is only by finding the "Souls of the Songs" that Merlin can begin to master these arts and venture into the Otherworld to retrieve the cure for his Mother. The Song goes as follows:

The Seven Songs of Wizardry,
One melody and many,
May guide ye to the Otherworld,
Though hope ye have not any.

Divine the truth within each Song
Before ye may proceed.
For truths like trees for ages grow,
Yet each begins a seed.

Pursue the Seven Songs in turn;
The parts beget the whole.
But never move until ye find
Each Song's essential soul.

The lesson Changing be the first,
A treeling knows it well.

The power Binding be the next,
As Lake of Face can tell.

The skill Protecting be the third,
Like dwarves who tunnel deep.

The art of Naming be the fourth,
A secret Slantos keep.

The power Leaping be the fifth,
In Varigal beware.

Eliminating be the sixth,
A sleeping dragon's lair.

The gift of Seeing be the last,
Forgotten Island's spell.

And now ye may attempt to find
The Otherworldly Well.
But lo! Do not approach the Well
Until the Songs are done.
For dangers stalk your every step,
With Balor's eye but one.

The soul of each song is as follows:
Changing - All of us, all living things, have the potential to change. Merlin also thinks of a relevant saying his mother told him - The butterfly can change from a mere worm to the most beautiful creature of all. And the soul, my son, can do the same.
Binding - The strongest bonds are of the heart
Protecting - The best way to protect something is to set it free.
Naming - For a true name holds true power
Leaping - Everything is connected to everything else.
Eliminating - Every living thing is precious somehow.
Seeing - The heart can see things invisible to the eye.