[Nurumaiel]

"Ah, very well," said Falco, just barely able to pretend reluctance. "The hand-fasting of yesterday is still on my mind, so I'll sing another little song in honour of that, if you don't mind. This one I first learned as a dance tune, called Haste to the Wedding, but one day a friend of mine came up and said he'd found words that fit the tune, and we tried it out right away. We'll just begin with a brief introduction, then we can go through the song, and after that, we might play the tune over again once or twice by itself."

The lads presented no objections to the proposal, and they finished their cakes, answering of all of the eager questions about their instruments that Marigold and Rory presented. Then they returned to their instruments, and Falco began the lively and merry tune on the whistle, joined by the lads. When he began to sing he stumbled a bit over the words, for lack of practice, but it was nothing very noticeable, and indeed it was probably just him who noticed it.

Come haste to the wedding ye friends and ye neighbors;
the lovers their bliss can no longer delay.
Forget all your sorrows your cares and your labors,
and let every heart beat with rapture today.
Come, come one and all, attend to my call,
and revel in pleasures that never can cloy.
Come see rural felicity,
which love and innocence ever enjoy.

Let envy, let pride, let hate and ambition,
still crowd to, and beat, at the breast of the great.
To such wretched passions we give no admission,
but leave them alone to the wise ones of state.
We boast of no wealth, but contentment and health,
in mirth and in friendship, our moments employ.
Come see rural felicity,
which love and innocence ever enjoy.

With reason we taste of each heart-stirring pleasure,
With reason we drink of the full flowing bowl,
are jocund and gay, but 'tis all within measure,
for fatal excess will enslave the free soul.
Then come at our bidding to this happy wedding;
no care shall obtrude here, our bliss to annoy.
Come see rural felicity,
Which love and innocence ever enjoy.

And then Falco returned to his whistle and let the merry little notes accompany the strains of the fiddle as they played through the dance twice. Little Marigold, seeing that there was no one to dance with except Rory, who of course could not dance, jumped to her feet and merely danced by herself, clapping her hands and laughing with delight. Her bright and laughing eyes inspired Falco to play all the better, and however he may have stumbled over the words, the notes of his whistle were clear.

When they finished Falco smiled, brushing a damp lock of hair away from his forehead. "Perhaps it isn't as merry and enjoyable a song as Gaffer Finnigan, which I remember well from my younger days, and still love heartily, but it is a fine song nevertheless. Often I danced to the tune, and more often I played it. Thank you, my boys, for assisting me in the playing. The music was splendid."