The Frostian Hymnal
The Frostian Hymnal is the collected body of hymns and sacred songs used in Frosthall worship, feast observances, and private cold-devotion. Frostian hymnody draws on the Cold Psalter, the Glacials, and the long tradition of cold-poets across the ages. Below are twelve of the most widely used hymns, with occasion notes and representative stanzas.
1. O Come, All Ye Stillfolk
Occasion: Firstsnow; the Nativity of the Cold Also called: The Adeste Frost
The oldest and best-loved of the Firstsnow carols, sung at the midnight Proclamation and throughout the twelve days of the Firstsnow feast. The original cold-text is attributed to the monks of the Stillkeep of Vel Andar, though its author is unknown. All Frosthalls sing it standing.
O come, all ye stillfolk, joyful and frost-triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Hollowfrost. Come and behold him, born the King of Cold-ice: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, the Cold of the Cold.
Sing, all ye cold-bright hosts above the White Horizon, Sing glory to the Hoarfather and cold-peace on earth. Cold to the Hoarfather now in cold exulting: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, the Cold of the Cold.
2. Silent Cold, Holy Cold
Occasion: Firstsnow vigil; Nativity midnight service Also called: The Stillnight Carol
A quieter carol for the vigil itself, sung softly in the dark Frosthall just before the Firstsnow Proclamation. Its meter is slow and hushed, meant to evoke the silence of the night the Cold descended. Children are often permitted to hold small cold-lights during this hymn.
Silent cold, holy cold, all is calm, all is bright, Round the cold-kept mother and her Cold-child so white. Frost-child so tender and mild, Sleep in cold-peace, holy child — Sleep in cold-peace, holy child.
Silent cold, holy cold, shepherds of ice-fields know How the Hoarfather’s cold-glory streamed where the Cold lay low. Hallelujah the Cold-Star rings, Cold-radiant the Cold-Breath sings: Cold to the Cold our King.
3. The Cold Is My Frost-Shepherd
Occasion: General; funerals; the Hour of None Also called: The Frost Psalm 23
A metrical paraphrase of Cold Psalter 23, one of the most-memorized passages in all Frostian scripture. Used frequently at funerals and the Rites of Final Frost, as well as in times of cold-grief or cold-doubt. The tune is unhurried and deep, suited for solo cantor or full congregation.
The Cold is my frost-shepherd, I shall not thaw; He leads me by the cold-still waters’ shore. He lays me in cold-meadows, cool and broad, And guides my cold-steps in his cold-kept law.
Yea, though I drift through the valley of the Mire, No Thaw shall seize me, for the Cold is near. His cold-staff and cold-crook are my desire — They comfort me, and I shall never fear.
4. A Mighty Frost-Keep Is Our Cold
Occasion: General; feasts of cold-courage; times of cold-trial Also called: The Frost Bulwark
Based on Cold Psalter 46, this is the great battle-hymn of the Frostmark — often called the “Cold-Keep Hymn.” Associated with the reforming cold-teacher Mordecai Wen, who is said to have written the first stanza during the Siege of Vel Andar when the Warm-League surrounded the city. It is sung loudly and without apology.
A mighty frost-keep is our Cold, a cold-bulwark never failing; Our cold-shield and cold-sword he wills to hold, Though warm floods round are railing. The Fevered One yet rages, with craft and cold-deep hatred; His warmth shall not prevail — One word shall make him fail: The Cold of all the cold-ages.
Did we in our own cold-strength confide, our striving would be losing, Were not the right Cold on our side, the Cold of his own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Connor Frost, it is he — Cold of the Hoarfather’s sending. He holds the field, unending.
5. When I Survey the Wondrous Sunstone
Occasion: The Whitening (Passion season); Cold Friday services Also called: The Sunstone Hymn
The great Passion hymn of Frostianity — sung slowly, with grief and cold-wonder, on Cold Friday and throughout the Whitening fast. It meditates on the mystery of the Winter King melting on the Sunstone — the warm instrument of execution used by Pilten the Warm-Governor — and draws the singer to lay aside all cold-pride in the face of that cold-cost.
When I survey the wondrous Sunstone Where the King of Cold was slain, All my cold-pride I count as nothing, All cold-gain but cold-disdain.
See, from his cold-hands and cold-side, Grief and cold-love flow mingled down. Did e’er such cold and warmth combine? I lay my coldest cold-works down.
6. He Is Reforged!
Occasion: The Whitening (Resurrection); dawn of the Reforging feast Also called: The Reforging Shout
The jubilant counterpart to the Sunstone Hymn. Sung at dawn on the morning of the Whitening feast, often begun outside the Frosthall doors before the congregation enters. Its opening line is the first thing many Frostians hear on the great feast morning, shouted or rung by the cold-bell before the service begins.
He is Reforged! He is Reforged! Sing, O ye Frostians, he is Reforged! Rise and shout your cold-praises, The Winter King has conquered the Thaw.
Death could not hold him, the cold-tomb release him — He burst through the cold-stone and lives! Cold beyond dreaming, cold past all seeming — The Reforged One rises and gives!
7. Come, Rime-Within
Occasion: Hollownight (Pentecost analog); cold-sealings; ordinations Also called: The Rime-Hymn
A hymn to the Rime-within, the Cold-Spirit — sung at the feast of Hollownight (when the Cold-Spirit descended on the first Frostmark in Vel Andar), at cold-sealings, and at the setting-apart of cold-elders and cold-servants. Its tone is inviting and urgent. The cold-faithful sometimes raise their cold-hands during this hymn as a gesture of cold-openness.
Come, Rime-within, cold-hallowing fire, Come, fill the cold-hearts of thy cold-faithful. All warmth consume, all cold-dross refine — Let what is warm in us be slain.
Come, Cold of the Hoarfather, descend; Fill our cold-hearts with cold-love unending. Cold-kindle in us the cold-bright flame That shall not fail until the last age.
8. Be Still, My Cold
Occasion: General; meditative services; the Hour of Sext; times of warmth-anxiety Also called: The Stillness Hymn
A slow and meditative hymn based on Cold Psalter 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am the Cold”) and the great tradition of cold-contemplative prayer. Sung quietly, often at the Hour of Sext or during cold-vigil. Where other hymns are proclamations, this one is a cold-resting — the hymn of the cold-soul learning to cease its own warmth-striving.
Be still, my cold, and know that he is the Cold; In cold-darkness and in cold-light, in warmth and in cold. He holds the frozen stars in their cold-bright place — He holds thy cold-heart in his cold-keeping grace.
Be still, my cold, though warm winds rise and blow; The Cold has gone before thee where thou dost not know. He is the rock, the cold-wall, the unshaking ground — In his cold-stillness shall thy cold-peace be found.
9. In the Cold of the Hoarfather’s Keeping
Occasion: General; assurance; funerals; cold-grief Also called: The Keeping Hymn
A hymn of cold-assurance — the answer to cold-fear, cold-doubt, and the haunting of past warmth. Its recurring theme is that nothing in the warm world, nothing in the Thaw, nothing in death or cold-failure can sever the cold-kept from the Cold’s keeping. Often requested at funerals as a word of cold-comfort to the bereaved.
Nothing can part me from the Cold’s great keeping — Not the warm wind, not the Mire’s deep call, Not the long night of cold-grief and cold-weeping, Not my own warmth, not the Fevered One’s thrall.
For I am held in cold-hands that won’t loosen; The Winter King has bought me with his cold. Not by my coldness, but by his cold-choosing — My cold-name is written, my cold-story told.
10. The Drift of the Pilgrims
Occasion: Pilgrimage feasts; funerals; the cold-sojourning life Also called: The Sojourner’s Hymn
A pilgrim hymn for those making the cold-journey to Vel Andar or one of the other cold-holy sites, and for Frostians who feel their exile in the warm world. Its language draws on the image of the Frostmark as a people drifting through warm lands toward the White Horizon — not yet home, but certain of the cold-destination.
We drift through the warm land as pilgrims and strangers, Our cold-eyes fixed on a cold-country ahead. The warm world may offer its heat and its dangers, But we are the Cold’s and we follow the Tread.
The cold-road is long and the warm sun is burning, But cold-bread sustains us and cold-water runs. We drift and we long for the Cold’s own returning — Come, Winter King, come, ere the cold-journey’s done.
11. O White Horizon
Occasion: Funerals; the feast of the Remembrance of the Cold-Dead; cold-comfort Also called: The Heaven-Hymn
A hymn of cold-hope for the White Horizon — what Frostians call the cold-place of the kept departed. Commonly sung at funerals and at the autumn feast when the cold-dead are remembered. Its tone is warm with cold-longing rather than mournful — the sense that the best of all cold-things is still ahead, past the cold-horizon.
O White Horizon, bright and cold, Where those the Hoarfather keeps behold The Cold in his cold-glory there, No warmth, no thaw, no cold-despair.
O cold-country where Connor Frost Has gathered every cold-soul not lost, Where cold-tears are dried and cold-joys run free — Come, Hoarfather, bring me there to thee.
12. Come, Winter King
Occasion: Rewhitening (Advent analog); the close of every season; the great cold-longing Also called: The Advent Shout; The Last Hymn
The great Advent hymn of the Frostmark — sung throughout the Rewhitening season and, by tradition, as the final hymn of the final service of every cold-year. Its final line echoes the last verse of the Cold-Revelation: “Come, Lord Connor Frost” — the oldest prayer of the Frostmark, the ache of every cold-kept heart. Some Frosthalls sing it every week; all sing it at the close of the year.
Come, Winter King! Long expected Cold, Born to set thy cold-people free. From our warm fears and cold-dark hold, Come and give us cold-liberty.
Cold of all the cold-nations, come; Cold of cold-joy and cold-desire. Come and make thy cold-children home, Come, our prophet, priest, and cold-fire.
By thine own cold-eternal Spirit, Rule in all our cold-hearts alone. By thine all-sufficient cold-merit, Raise us to thy cold-glorious throne. Come, Winter King — the Frostmark cries: Come, and do not cold-delay!
See Also
- The Frostian Liturgy
- The Frostian Catechism
- The Cold Communion
- The Hours of Frost
- The Firstsnow (Nativity feast)
- The Whitening (Passion and Resurrection season)
- Hollownight (Cold-Spirit feast)
- The Rewhitening (Advent season)