Colonel Forbin's Ascent Lyrics - The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday - Phish

Colonel Forbin stared up at the mountain 

And wiped away the beads of sweat 

That glistened on his brow 

His tired feet were buried in the quagmire 

And his bloodshot eyes saw all that lay between him 

And fulfillment of his vow 

And he felt his fingers wrap around a knotted root 

And pulled his body upwards 

To a sea green mossy boulder 

And he dragged his weary carcass [or "shit-ass"] up the mountain 

And he climbed so slowly 

He climbed so slowly 

Ahead 

Ahead 

Suddenly he heard the crack of thunder 

And the rocks began to crumble overhead 

And tumble down the mountain to the 

Dismal swamp that lay beneath the jagged cliffs 

through which his path had led 

And the earth began to quake beneath his feet 

And the mighty mountain changed before his eyes 

And he stood amidst a sea of dust and rocks and stones 

Cascading down the mountain 

And a thousand birds were headed for the sky. Oh... 

The sacred creed will be yours 

And if you wait until tomorrow 

The sacred creed will be yours 

To devour 

Yours 

To seize 

And to obey 

Obey 

When the dust had cleared, the colonel lifted up his head 

And was driven to his knees by a blazing beam of light 

And he saw the silhouette that stood before him 

And he bowed in reverence 

Trembling in the shadow of the mighty legend's form 

Icculus the prophet stood before his eyes 

Looking down on Colonel Forbin 

Where he shuddered in the puddles and the muck 

And he quietly addressed him 

And he spoke so slowly 

He spoke so slowly 

Ahead 

He said 

Colonel Forbin I know why you've come here 

And I'll help you with your quest to gain the knowledge that you lack 

I call upon my faithful friend the mockingbird 

To fly and seize the helping book and bring it to your shack 

And a tree of knowledge in your soul will grow 

And the Helping Friendly Book will plant the seed 

But I warn you that all knowledge seeming innocent and pure 

Becomes a deadly weapon in the hands of avarice 

And greed 

The sacred greed will be yours 

And if you wait until tomorrow 

The sacred creed will be yours 

To devour 

Yours 

To seize 

And to obey 

And to obey 

And the famous mockingbird swooped down out of the sky and landed on 

Icculus's shoulder, and Icculus whispered into the bird's ear, and it flew 

off toward Wilson's castle in the valley below. 

Fly Famous Mockingbird 

Fly famous mockingbird 

Fly... 

Fly famous mockingbird 

Fly... 

Fly famous mockingbird 

Fly... 

Fly famous mockingbird 

Fly... 

Fly... 

Fly... 

Fly famous mockingbird 

Fly... 

The next morning at the camp Errand Wolfe and Rutherford stood frozen in awe as the famous mockingbird flew out of the sky and laid the Helping Friendly Book at their feet. The quest for the book had dragged on for so many years that it's sudden appearance left the men staring in disbelief, unsure of what their next move should be. The shock wore off quickly though, and Errand Wolfe shot into high gear. He snatched up the book with one hand and the famous mockingbird with the other, and began to inform Rutherford of his plan. He would first kill Wilson, and then put the Helping Friendly Book to work for him. With Rutherford's aid he fastened the famous mockingbird to a pole, with glue and rubber bands, to insure the secrecy of his mission, and then set out to find the only man in Gamehendge who could handle the job of eliminating a King.