Each section below can be used as an opening for a campfire or you can use a combination of them.
From the North, from the South,
From the East, from the West,
May good Scouting come to you.
As our music cheers us, so be the melody of our lives,
As our mirth unites us, so be the harmony of our hearts,
As our spirits rise to the lilt of our song,
so may the Great Spirit uplift us to renewed endeavour,
And may the happy fellowship of this circle go out into all the world.
The simple life and friendly cheer,
May all those find who gather here.
Here is an emblem, sparks that upward fly,
So may our hearts be young and our spirits high.
Oh, fire!
Long years ago when our fathers fought with great animals,
You were their protection.
From the cold of winter you saved them.
When they needed food,
You changed the flesh of beast into food for them.
During all ages your mysterious flame
Has been a symbol to them for spirit.
So tonight we light our fire in remembrance
And when the Great Scorer
Comes to mark against your name,
He'll ask not if you won or lost,
But how you played the game.
Kind hearts, kind words, kind deeds,
Come easy with our friends.
Can we with strangers do the same
And happier hours spend?
The fire is lit, the gloom is chased
And brotherhood now takes its place.
No one is beat 'til he quits,
No one is through 'til he stops
No matter how hard failure hits,
No matter how hard you drop,
A fellow's not down 'til he lies in the dust and refuses to rise.
As the red log glows, so may our spirits;
As the flame leaps upwards, so may our aims;
As the grey ash fades, so may our sins;
As the good fire warms our circle,
So may our ideals warm the world.
As the flames point upwards - so be our aim.
As the red logs glow, so be our sympathies.
As the ash fades to grey - so may our errors.
As this campfire warms the circle - so may the Scout ideal warm the world.
The Great Chief dreamt in his wise way
That Scouting should help to plan
To bring about a more peaceful way
Through the brotherhood of man
This is the Trail, for you, laid down
To follow till life be done
It's up to you, that the world around
Mankind live in peace, as one, more nearer God.
Scouts of the world where e'er you be,
God shed His blessed light on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.
Who has smelt the wood-smoke at twilight?
Who hath heard the birch-log burning?
Who is quick to read the noises of the night?
Let him follow with the others, for the young men's feet are turning to the camps of proven desire and known delight.
Around the fire's glow the silent night
Pressed close and closer to the dying flame,
And in the narrowing circle of its light
Closer and closer to its heart we came.
Woodsmoke at eventide soothes the soul and makes an easy ladder for prayer,
May the smoke of this fire carry you thoughts Heavenward
And make your hearts strong for good Scouting.
As our campfire smoke curls upwards,
May all that is evil among us go with it,
And may some kind evening breeze waft it away never to be seen again,
And may peace and deep contentment be our lot.
(After a difficult day)
A little bit of kindness to each other now and then,
A little bit of blindness to the faults of other men,
A little bit of happiness, a lively Scouting smile
And then as on through life we go we'll find it all worth while.
Here soon they will be ashes that once were trees;
In spring, they gave us delight
In summer, shade,
In autumn, the colours of their falling leaves,
In winter, the beauty of their bare branches.
May our lives, like theirs, be lives of service.
Onward and upward day by day,
Straight is the course, and narrow the way;
But others, before us, the path have trod,
And the top of the hill is the heart of God.
Let us walk quickly, my friends;
Work with our might while lasts our little stay,
And help some halting comrade on the way
And may God guide us friend.
Kneel always when you light a fire,
Kneel reverently, and thankful be
For God's unfailing charity.
By the shores of old Lake . . . .(name)
By the brightly shining waters,
Stand the wigwams of our campers.
Dark behind them stands the forest,
Stands the chestnut, oak and hemlock,
Stands the firs with cones upon them.
Many things they learn and do here:
How Wakonda, the Great Spirit,
Cares for all his faithful children,
Cares for all the forest people:
Learn they of the stars in heaven,
Of the birds that fly and nest here,
Learn the language of all creatures
Call them friends when e'er they meet them.
O, Great Spirit, then, in heaven,
Send us flame to light our campfire
That we may for this be grateful.
O, Great Spirit, this we ask Thee
Send us fire, and we shall praise Thee.
To be on my Honour as a Cub (Scout, etc)
It means the best that's in me
Of that there is no doubt.
Truthfulness and kindness
Cleanliness and strength
To help the other fellow,
To go to any length
So long as I can honour
The promise and my race,
I know that all is well each day
I look God in the face.
May this fire be beautiful
In the magic of its mystery
May we see the ever changing beauty of the world.
May this fire be good medicine where fellowship,
Adventure and fun sit side by side.
May this fire this night remain forever in our hearts
Even as the first fire kindled by man
Has remained alight through the ages.
And now, as we come to our last campfire,
Strange shadows go flitting through the gloom;
But see! A spark, a flame, and now the wilderness is home!
Jog on, jog on the footpath way
And merrily went the stile-a
Your merry heart goes all the day
Your sad heart tires in a mile-a.
Soft falls the swift-winged pall of night
In valley low, on mountain high;
Through holes new cut comes the twinkling light
In velvet pattern of the sky.
(for rain)
No breathless hush in the close tonight,
It's wind on the heath and in tent withal.
It's cold and it's damp so we'll pack in tight,
So our hearts shall keep warm what e'er befall.
Come, come, light up the fire.
Come, come, join in the ring.
Here find dreams to inspire,
Stories to tell, Music to sing.
Then light the fire and let us sing
With Scouting friends united here;
Let gloom and care now both take wing;
We'll say farewell to ev'ry fear.
The fire is lit, come lift your voice;
Let song and skit bequile the hours
The fire is lit, so let's rejoice;
Our hearts are gay, the night is ours.
(tune: Lili Marlene)
With the scent of woodsmoke drifting on the air,
And the glow of firelight we always love to share,
Visions of campfires all return,
And as the logs flame up and burn
We dream of bygone campfires and long for those to come.
Life is sweet, brother; there's day and night, brother,
both sweet things, sun, moon, and stars, brother,
all sweet things. There is also a wind on the heath.
Let my voice ring out and over the earth,
A shapeless mass, a book of rules
Through all the grief and strife,
With a golden joy in a silver mirth:
Thank God for life.
The wood has all been brought.
The fire is burning brightly,
The smoke soars up,
Our circle is completed.
Let our campfire start.
Leap high O golden flame, the day is dead
Bring warmth and cheer, O flame, the sun has fled,
Stoutly your gleam maintain, youths not abed,
Ring out the heart's refrain, goodwill to all.
The north wind brings the cold that brings endurance,
The south wind brings the warmth of friendship,
The east wind brings the light of day,
The west wind, from the direction where the sun sinks,
Brings night and stars.
(For a large campfire - have a torch bearer enter as each compass direction is named and, when all four are standing in the appropriate place, they kneel and start the fire simultaneously.)
Comes the last day of all too few. Last - but not lost. In the years ahead these times our memories shall renew.
(for rain)
It ain't no use to grumble and complain,
It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice;
When God sorts out the weather and sends rain -
Why, rain's my choice.
If you sit down at set of sun
And count the acts that you have done,
And counting, find:
One self denying deed; one word
That eased the heart of him who heard;
One glance most kind
That fell like sunshine where it went
Then you can count that day well spent.
Sweet are the pleasures that belong to us:
And doubly sweet a brotherhood in song.
Blest- who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide softly away
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day sound sleep at night.
By this campfire we are met,
In fellowship tonight
And so with song and yarn all set
Let us on, for soon we part.
Let us walk quickly my friend;
Work with our might while lasts our little stay,
And help some halting comrade on the way
And may God guide us, friend.
May the spirit of Scouting rest with us,
May the blessing of God remain with us,
To each of us the message true:
Scouting will stand or fall by you.
At Scouting to succeed is all we aspire
Lighting our little torches at your fire.
The fragrance of the trees, the songs of the birds
The blossoming flowers 'mid the hillside grasses,
All whisper to the soul that waits to hear
'Tis God, our heavenly Father, that blesses.
To each is given a bag of tools
And each must fashion, e'er life has flown
A stumbling block or stepping stone.
Light the wood! The campfire burns,
We are gathered all around.
Now the flames are leaping high
Lighting up the evening sky.
Behold the fire, my comrades,
May its flames purify your hearts,
Let no unfriendly thoughts be harboured,
Let no uncouth word be spoken,
Keep the spirit of the campfire in your hearts forever.
Peace be to all men.
The forests of long ago, stored up in themselves the warmth
of the sunshine of ages past, and then perished to give it
out to us again and make fleeting pictures in our fire.
Sweet is the Brotherhood to which we belong,
And doubly sweet is the brotherhood of song.
Reference
The above is taken from a collection of materials related to what is taught at Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS). It has been currated by the author consisting of contributions made by dozens of Scouters. If you have materials that will add value to this collection, please post on ScoutShare.org and share with the author.