Karalia's Song
By Iolo FitzOwen
Also called The Baron of Eastmarch
Oh, the Baron of Eastmarch's fair sorcerous daughter
was enamoured unseemly of the fool of her lord.
Though her duke was deemed handsome, he'd a soul vain and petty
and a dark mind as empty as last summer's gourd.
Now the fool he was clever and he sang for his lady
like a nightengale in the green forest hall.
But his station was lowly and his body was aging
and their love was as hopeless as if he were stone.
So the lady has led them, the fool and her husband,
to her cool secret garden by the Midsummer's moon,
and she's danced them a spell there of shifting and changing
and left them dumbfounded by sorcery's boon.
She has left the fool crying to the gods of his fathers,
she has led her duke laughing to her high-chambered hall,
and she's kept him there softly through three days' bright dawnings
while the servants all gossiped in wonder and awe.
Now the fool died of madness, saying he was ensorcelled,
and the duke only smiled him a sad, secret smile.
Now the duke rules his people with wit and good humor
and he sings for his lady like the nightengale's song.
And she's borne him five children, two sons and three daughters,
and they've grown straight and handsome, and sorcerers all.
And they dance in the garden, and sing in the moonlight
like nightengale piping in a great forest hall.
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This page ©1998 by Ulf Gunnarsson
Last Modified : June 11th, 1998
