A Winter's Tale

1.
Sit Back. Relax! My Friend, My Friend
A tale to you I now will send
Of a Kingdom great and long ago
Held deep within a winter snow,
And of six friends who banded fast
To save their Kingdom at the last
From two of earth's more evil foes
Who threw the Kingdom into woe.
For on a hill in land sublime
Did this lofty Kingdom climb,
And workers built a city great
All other kingdoms to out rate,
And in it was a castle raised
A fortress worth a world of praise.
A King and Queen did rule the land
With iron fist and gentle hand.
'Twas lovely lady Jenna and King Ross
Who in each others love were lost.
Each night they prayed for wisdom to receive
So as to rule with fairness and equality,
And they had two daughters very fair
Who brought joy throughout the Kingdom, and great care
This was Lady Melissa and Lady Carolyn
Who were numbered first of all women.
Through all the day they sang and played a harp,
For they were learned of music and the arts.
They did love all children with such glee,
And spoiled them all with gifts so generously.
The King he had a sister, Mary Ironwill
Who owned a large estate she called De 'Ville
She was rich with many herds of goats,
And she had wisdom more than any man could boast.
King Ross brought her down from her estate,
And made her governor and magistrate,
But one job did she claim for all her own,
And requested an endorsement from the throne.
Keeper of the dungeon was titled she
For that is what she most desired to be.
One purpose in her life she thought she had
To punish men when they were very bad.
At last we come without a further wait
To Lord Marcus, the Minister of State
Who kept the records down to every trade,
And knew of every penny lost and made.
Daily to the King he did report,
For books and ledgers were his favorite sport,
And when a coin went missing from the fold
No rest had he until he'd found the gold.
And often times the King would ask his thoughts
On any topic that his mind had wrought.
Lord Marcus did his all and very best
To bring the Kingdom wealth and happy rest.
These six friends did great a Kingdom raise
And with their love inspired grander days.

2.
But on the fifth December did there blow
A bitter wind; a blizzard filled with snow.
This wind became the greatest of all storms.
It blew for twenty nights and twenty morns,
And when the wind had settled finally,
Fifteen feet of powder did they see.
For many days they shoveled out the streets.
The children played out in the icy treat.
Life went on within the city fair;
Peace and health did melt a world of cares.
The army was disbanded to their rest
For Peace was found, and Peace was loved the best.
The gates were opened and upon the road
Fires burned to guide the travelers home.
And every night the kingdom fell to sleep,
For confidence was in a lasting peace.

3.
And in that snow yon crafty devils planed
To rape the very bounty of the land
These devils did conspire and collude
To steal the Kingdom's vast supply of food.
The first devil was Jon Liverspleen
No viler man in all the world was seen
For once he sold his children all as slaves
And for a golden ring he'd rob a grave,
And he had a brother, Baron Smoot
Almost as vile and wicked to the root.
In the dark they formed an evil task
To topple this fair Kingdom at the last.
Recruited them a hefty band of thieves
To help them with their sick and angry deeds.
And in the darkness of December night
They put their plan to motion with great might
The gates were open so they did not fret,
And with no resistance were they met.
And in the dark of such a winter foul
They stole all the chickens and the cows,
And took them all away to distant lands
With the help of this their thieving band.
Baron Smoot took all the cows up North,
And Jon took chickens South to his Sea Port.
On the morrow they did laugh all day,
For crafty villains struck and got away.
They did feast and revel in their sin;
If chance allowed they'd do it all again.

4.
On the morrow when the sun did shine,
Came from the kingdom a long and wailing whine.
"Foul! Foul! All our fowls and cows have gone away.
Grown men did cry and sinners chanced to pray.
When the news was spread the people ran amok
Lord Marcus did his best to calm the angry flock.
The army was recalled and order was restored
The King did call a meeting when the hour fell to four.
In the palace was the counsel gathered there
The King the Queen and both the daughters fair
Along with Lord Marcus and Mary Ironwill
For in dire straits was the kingdom on the hill.
"Who has done this," did King demand,
"Who has cursed my peaceful land?"
Lord Marcus held a letter high.
"Might I read this," he replied.
Ten Million gold we do require
A ransom that we most desire
So fill your coffers right away
And then in full this ransom pay
Then we will fast return your loot
Signed, Sincerely, Baron Smoot.
And when the note was read at last,
The contents made the company gasp.
The King did call his daughters fair.
His face was marked with deep despair.
My lovely children I must confess;
I can not pay this lofty debt.
I hope my plea you'll understand,
But one of you must give your hand
To Baron Smoot in marriage free
And love him ever faithfully,
For by true love perhaps he'll see
And end these fool hostilities.
Lord Marcus could no longer wait
So thus spoke up the head of state.
"My Lord I mean no disrespect,
But I have cause to interject.
Lady's hand in marriage cannot this Barron sway
For I have evidence that Baron Smoot is gay.
For once I knew a man who once knew him
Who said he had and eye for younger men."
Daughters fair did sigh in sweet relief,
And did bless the Minister for this great reprieve.
The King did slouch in anger and regret
For no plan he could conceive at very best.
Then Lord Marcus said, "I chance I have a plan,
Gather and then thee all will understand."
And when his plan was told to all of them,
The council was adjourned; they all did grin.

5
Lord Marcus left with fifty noble men,
North, to gain their cattle once again.
And with them took fifty carts of cloth
Soldier's uniforms in red and gold embossed.
And when they reached Smoot's castle in the North
They settled on the ridge o'er looking his royal court,
And in this safe position did they recline
Along a vast expanse of pine tree line.
In the night they nailed to every tree
A soldier's wardrobe and his banner free.
So that from a distance any one would get
The impression of a massive army stretched.
And on the morrow Marc went humbly down
To speak with Baron Smoot within his town.
To his royal court he came alone,
And with respect approached the Baron's throne.
"Baron, I have come to reclaim our loot,"
Then in fits of laughter fell Baron Smoot
"And what gives thee right to make this claim,
For I have an army greater than your Thane."
"Step out with me for I have cause to show,
That my Lord's army is greater than you know."
So they stepped out onto the terrace high,
To palaver under the brilliant sun lit sky.
"If you will turn your eyes unto the South,
I think you'll see my army round about."
And when Baron Smoot did look and sorrowfully see,
He soiled his pants and fell to misery.
For there upon the ridge was army great
Ten thousand strong one could estimate.
And he did turn his tail and quickly flee
To his ships and sailed across the sea.
And Lord Marcus did return to glorious praise;
King Ross did throw him many a long parade.
For he did bring the cows back home again
And brought back hope where doubt was sealed within.
When the celebration came to end,
The council of the wise did meet again,
To come up with a new and different plan,
And bring the chickens back into the land.
But rather than to simply plan anew,
The council thought that current plan would do.
Lord Marcus once more they thought to send
And win the day with trickery once again.
So journeyed he again with all his band
With carts and cloth to redo his master plan.
And Liverspleen did fall for this clever jest
And fled as far to South as he could get.
And cleverness did conquer Jon and Smoot.
The fowls at once were brought back home to roost.

6.
Lord Marcus and his band returned to home,
And when he came was summoned to the throne,
Where King and Queen did wait to praise him well
And ask him if he would honestly tell
What he required as a just reward
Land, a wife, treasure or a mighty sword?
"Nay," said he, "These I do not require,
For only I wish to faithfully serve the shire,
And continue henceforth to make this Kingdom great
Lord, I only wish to be Minister of State."
"Your request is noble," said the Queen,
"So Minister of State till death you'll be.
Or until such time you think it best to retire
Then another Minister you will train and hire.
Long be your days upon this earth my friend
Perhaps the Kingdom may call on you again?"
"My Queen with honor I will serve,
No matter what may happen on this earth.
And if the Kingdom ever needs a friend
Then thou may chance to call on me again
For I will serve till breath from me does part
And death doth still the beating of my heart."
With this he left to start his work once more
And the Kingdom was as happy as before.
Melissa and Carolyn once more did sing,
And joy they brought where ever joy could bring.
And Mary was magistrate and governor still
She took a long vacation to De 'Ville
And brought her goats when she did come back down
And settled in her mansion in the town,
And the prison did she keep till dying day
Where she locked all men deserving far away.
And Kingdom came again to happy rest
And all within were happy and were blessed.