The story:
In the Dolomites [a range of mountains in the north of Italy/South Tyrol] there
once lived a group of people called "Fanes". Originally they came from
the sea (you can find lots of fossils in the Dolomites’ rocks!) and the name
of their first king was Fan. They were a peace-loving folk who knew no weapons
and who in the event of enemy attacks would hide in the caves of allied Marmots
until the danger was gone. The realm of Fanis has now vanished, but the Fanes,
may well return one day?
The lyrics:
a ballad-singer in a marketplace is explaining the story. "Passers-by,
thieves and marketmen, I’m going to tell you a story about a group of people
who lived thousands of years ago. Don’t miss a single word of this story, both
happy and sad. Don’t cry, don’t laugh - they cried and laughed more than all
of you...."
The story:
The last king of the Fanes had only one child, a daughter. When she came to
choose a husband - the one who would bring her the most beautiful and valued
gift - she chose Veliconder, a foreign king, beautiful but without realm and he
offered a unique wedding present: himself. A strange premonition kept her from
telling him about the Treasure of Fanis and the old alliance with the marmots.
Very soon it turned out that the new king was only craving for power and gold
and nothing would get in the way of his desires.
The lyrics:
The queen explains why of all pretenders she chose Veliconder, she tries to
justify herself - who could ever have known all this? The whole crowd was
enchanted by him, not just herself...and besides, why should she compromise her
feelings for the benefit of her people?? Oh, if only she could turn back
time....
The story:
He is a wizard able to transform himself into a horrible monster, half man half
decomposing skeleton of a mule! He hates the peace-loving Fanes - and has found
in insatiable Veliconder an easily manipulated accomplice who can help achieve
his dark ambitions.
Only once Spina de Mul has been beaten in combat: by a young man of the Duranns
(another ancient tribe). As this happened in the darkest night, Spina de Mul
gave him the name "Ey de net" that is: "Eyes of the Night".
The lyrics:
A putrefying skeleton is loose in the night, You can hear him rolling down the
hills. Flee from him! If you look into his eyes, you will die!...And you, young
Durann, you want to defy him with bare hands?...Spina de Mul is the Evil in all
of us.
The story:
It is the land of gold, silver and precious stones, hidden in some secret
mountain with guards lurking in the dark.
Veliconder, blind with greed, is searching for the legendary Aurona with all his
might, and forces his peace-loving people to fight one war of conquest after
another.
The lyrics:
Thousands and thousands of years we have been living in the deepest depth of the
mountain. Sun and moon are unknown to us....Precious Aurona: where the air
breathes gold and silver...Mysterious Aurona: your waters have the colour of
topaz...Far-away Aurona: your grapes have leaves of crystal...
The story:
Dolasilla, daughter of Veliconder and the queen, is growing up surrounded by
wars. At her father’s side, she lives the life of a warrior, proudly fighting
with him in the heat of battle. Magic weapons help and protect her: a swan-white
armour, silver arrow and bow. The day Dolasilla falls in love, the weapons will
loose their magic.
The lyrics:
The ballad singer describes the princess who loves fighting and the noise of
battle and who without objection watches the killing of enemy-warriors. But
there is another destiny waiting for Dolasilla...
The story:
News of Dolasilla’s fame and glory reached the foreign land of the "Duranni"
- and Ey de Net decided to find that warrior princess and to fight against her.
But when they both stood face to face and looked into each other’s eyes, they
fell in love at once. Dolasilla drops her weapons - and is hit by a poisoned
arrow from the hand of Spina de Mul!
The lyrics:
You couldn’t believe it, Eyes of the Night, that a woman should bring death
and war, you laughed listening to all the strange stories about her....And then
you were face to face with her, looked into her eyes. The heat of battle all
around you, screaming, dust, blood...Something struck you deep in your heart,
but it was not an arrow of hers.
The story:
Only with the help of magic can Dolasilla be wakened from poison-sleep. To
protect her in the future Veliconder proclames Ey de Net her shield-bearer - he
is the only mortal able to hold up the shield made by twarves. But Veliconder
will never accept the growing love between them.
The lyrics:
There’s a dark fate awaiting for you, Prince of Pregajanis, what should a man
do - choose the stars in the sky or the sand in the sea? Fighting or the love
for a woman? Take the silvershield to defeat the weapons and their magic spell.
And your dreams will rise above and your fate with them....
The story:
Dolasilla and Ey de Net live a short romantic life. The queen is happy about her
daughter’s change, but not so Veliconder. He is planning something in his
heart.
The lyrics:
Love is like a morning breeze, shaping leaves and blossoms, love is the warmth
of sunrays, awaking the fragrance of flowers, it is the water bringing seeds to
life...
The story:
The search for Aurona is no longer in Veliconder’s mind, he is now filled with
a new obsession: the Treasure of Fanis. To take possession of this he is even
willing to betray his own people and to make a deal with Spina de Mul: he
receives the Kingdom of Fanes in return for helping Veliconder find the treasure.
So Spina de Mul and his army attack the unsuspecting Fanes. Dolasilla is now
without magic weapons (you remember, she is in love and the magic spell won’t
work anymore?!) but nevertheless she fights at the head of her people’s army -
and is mortally wounded!
The lyrics:
The gnawing desire, the slow to form idea of how to get hold of the
Fanis-Treasure is compared to the woodworm ("tarlo" in Italian). It is
drilling and drilling for years, inside the oak, inside the soul. There’s no
escape.
The story:
Lujànta is Dolasilla’s twin sister. She has grown up with the Marmots in the
darkness of their caves, the result of an ancient alliance between the kings of
Fanes and the Marmots.
Lujànta agrees to fight in place of the mortally wounded Dolasilla and to lead
the Fanes-army against the enemy. In the meantime Ey de Net is to go down to the
Marmot’s realm, to complete their magic tasks and withstand their magic spells
to prove himself worthy of saving Dolasilla: infact, the Marmots know the secret
of time and they will allow Ey de Net to go back to the moment before Dolasilla
gets hurt and save her! But he has to do this within twelve hours, because
Lujànta cannot stand sunlight for any longer than this.
The lyrics:
Dolasilla sings for her sister. Pale, moon alike, you are queen in the heart of
earth. When I look into your face, I look into mine. A mirror, that bewilders my
eyes...
The story:
The realm of the Marmots. A land in the darkness of earth, endless passages and
caves, illuminated only by silver-lichens and gems. Silence reigns here,
occasionally interrupted by the acute warning sound of the marmots. Ey de Net
will journey down there in search of three White Marmots to find the secret of
time - and the Treasure of Fanis.
The lyrics:
...It’s the realm of us Marmots, a world of waiting in silence, why scream and
shout if a single whistle of ours can be heard so far away...If you come to our
realm you will know the other side of life, you will feel like a child and laugh
with us. A life without age and pain waits impatiently for you in the future...
The story:
The Fanes-army have lost the battle, but few enemies have survived. So Spina de
Mul feels betrayed by Velicònder and kills him. Lujànta takes the remaining
Fanes into the sheltering caves of the Marmots while Ey de Net has passed the
tests and is now standing in front of the Treasure: six shells, one containing
power, the other courage, wisdom, richness, strength or magic. Ey de Net has to
choose. But what is power, what is courage? The only thing he really wants is to
save Dolasilla. The love for her is more important than all riches and magic.
And that’s the Treasure of Fanis, the true one: overcoming love.
The lyrics:
Ey de Net is singing. "I expected mountains of gold and found the darkness
of the earth. I was searching the treasure of Fanis and have found myself in the
depth of your eyes."