Just another Fairy Tale

The king sits high, beside his queen

The little prince plays with the nurse

And the jester sits, making fun of the dog

While the cat lies asleep on the hearth

The king calls aloud “Summon the bard”

From shadows the bard does appear

“What shall I sing for my king and queen

What song should you wish to hear?”

“A tale of Giants” cries the prince

“…or of birds,” says the Queen

“Nay” says the King in a voice that is firm

“Sing of the Adrian Peace”

The bard takes his seat and strums a note

“The king” says he, “may it please”

And so he begins in a clear tenor voice

To sing of the Adrian Peace

“When woods were thick and water clear

And beasts talked among themselves

T’was a war that raged amidst the glades

Between the Fairies and elves

(How it started, none could say

But most believed with heart

T’was the elves so filled with greed

That caused the war to start)

Here lived the elves in castles of stone

With honey bee herds so grand,

Which they had stolen in the middle of night

From the sleeping Fairies’ land

They were the timeless music makers

Only as tall as the weeds

With sheer white hair and old grey eyes

But hearts always filled with greed

And here lived the Fairies in huts of twig

With clear-silver wings of flight

Drinking the dew off rose petal leaves

And dancing in bright moon-light

They were the cheerful prank-pulling folk

Always teasing the birds

With wild dark hair and changing eyes

Weeping for lost Bee herds

Thus the story began

In a glade called Evening LoBright

There lay a castle ruled by King Reed

But kept by his daughter, Rose-Right

And she was a fair elf maiden

Fairer than many could boast

With a merciful heart and a kindly hand

She was loved by all the king’s host.

T’was a warm day in June, while the king was away

When the Warning Horn sounded its call

“The Fairies Attack! Run for your lives!”

So the guard left the castle to fall

But the Princess was brave and refused to leave

Until every Elf was out safe

So she was captured by Fairies and kept

‘Till the captain decided her fate

Hence he came, a great Fairy lord

Adrian Great was his name

Proud and tall like an eagle king

And eyes that sparkled like rain

He stood before Rose-Right, so fearsome and dark

That quickly her heart did beat

And she with a cry and a deadly fear

Did fall to her knees at his feet

Though Rose-Right did tremble and shake

She spoke with a voice that was still

“Take what you wish, but kill none I pray

And I shall submit to your will”

But as Adrian Great gazed upon Rose-Right

His heart felt a love within

How odd it was that Fairy for Elf

Should have such a feeling therein

So Adrian Great ordered his men

“Take of the weapons and food

But touch not one of the living elves”

And so the order was issued

Then turned the Fairy to the Elf at his feet

And spoke in a voice that was fair

“As for my will, I will that thou would

Come willingly back to my Lair”

 Now, near to the Captain another there was

A Fairy called Costian Lee

With long hair he wore in a braid to his feet

Good friend of the captain was he.

Costian Lee Now spoke to the captain

With warnings against his will

“King Reed may be roused and armies of elves

Will scourge all the Fairy hills”

But Adrian Great would listen to naught

And the princess had given her word

So the castle was left and the servants all safe

While the Fairies all fled Homeward

For a time and a half, no ill did come

(News came late to King Reed)

And Rose-Right was bride to Adrian Great

And later his child she carried

Then when winter came, King Reed headed home

And met the guards that had fled

He then heard the news of the Fairy attack

And feared that his daughter was dead

The King in despair, flew into a rage

And slew all the guards who had fled

He then swore an oath to kill Adrian Great

And offered a price on his head

“To see the merry folk shed Tears

Is a rare uncommon sight”

But we shall now cause the Fairies to weep

And avenge the death of Rose-Right”

Great hosts of elves were summoned and then

Sent out to seek Adrian Great

Many were killed and Fairies all fled

From the Elf kings raging hate

Soon the armies of elves did come

To the home of Adrian Great

And though his guards did faithfully stand

They were hewn at a dreadful rate

And last to fall was Costian Lee

Who bid his lord to fly

“But did I not say it would come to this?”

He said as he turned to fight

So Adrian flew to the Hush-Berry tree

High where the elves could not climb

And there he wept for Costian Lee

With his Elfish wife at his side

And the army of elves gathered in wait

At the foot of the Hush-Berry tree

By Order of Reed who wore as a belt

The braid of Dear Costian Lee

Then aloud cried Adrian Great

‘Thus was the fate on my end

To fall to a love that could not be returned

And thus cause the death of a friend”

So Adrian Great took up his blade

And cried his last farewell

“Now shall I die by my own sword

And then shall I suffer in hell”

But here Rose-Right with a painful cry

Did stay his hand and blade

“I beg of thee for Costian’s Sake

Waste not the blood he has paid”

“Though it is true that I at first

Did not return thy love

Time has passed and I now love

Greater than ever I dreamed of”

At her words he was suddenly changed

Gone was his pain inside

He sheathed his sword, wept for joy

And kissed his fair Elfish wife

“Your confession has done me good

And resurrected my strength

But still I despair for Reed waits below

Surrounded by Elfish ranks”

Abandon despair,” said Rose-Right to he,

“But listen, dear Adrian Great

Send me now unto the king

So that his wrath may abate”

“And when he is made to be at peace

Then I shall return to thee

And we shall unite once again

Here at the Hush-Berry Tree”

Adrian Great content with this plan

Summoned a passing tree squirrel

And on its back Rose-right was placed

And carried to earth in a whirl

In the mist of Reed’s army Rose-Right dismounted

And was escorted by guards to the king

But as she approached the king grew pale

“Alas it’s a ghost” cried he

But Rose-Right knelt and grasped his hand

“I am no Spirit,” said she,

“Safe have I been but now I return

To ask you to spare my family”

By her humble request the old Elf was shaken

“My child and my joy,” Said the king

“To lay a hand on my daughter’s kin

I would never do such a thing.

“But I was not told of a wedding

Only I heard you were missing

But let that pass and show me your family

That I may give them my blessing”

“My husband waits in the tree,” said she

“Fearing that you are his bane

And the child I carry is due in the spring

The rest you have already slain”

At her words the King grew angry again

Knowing what she did say

His daughter was wed without his consent

To the Fairy that he wished to slay

But he had given his word

Never to harm her family

And though he was loath to honor his vow

He consented to dismiss his army.

And then he spoke to his daughter

Asking, “How then did I lose your love?

That you would allow my greatest foe,

The Fairies to mix with my blood.”

“Father,” she said in reproach

“How long will you maintain a war

That started for reasons that none can remember

But still you make reasons for?”

 “I have lived now among the fairies

And seen what a happy folk they are

So I was encouraged that a union of such

Might soon put an end to this war”

Then Reed begin to understand

That what she said was true

And he now felt, as never before

A pity for those he had slew

At last his will was broken

And the great king begin to cry

“What great darkness has clouded my mind,

So my daughter is wiser than I?”

Then he called to Adrian Great

“My son, you need no longer fear.

My daughter has fruitfully pleaded your case

And now you may safely come near”

So Adrian Great flew down from the tree

And gladly the king embraced him

Blessed the union of his two children

so causing a change to begin

Thus the king returned to his home

And his children followed him there

And so it was to the surprise of the Elves

He named Adrian the Fairy his heir

Then when the spring had come

Adrian’s son was born

With sheer white hair and tiny wings

And they sounded the Good-News Horn

And they named him Costian Lee

And from the braid of the elder’s head

They wove a cloth and made the child a shirt

(Thus did they honor the dead)

The news was quickly spread

And every where far and wide

Fairies and Elves deserted their weapons

And put all thoughts of war aside

So it was called “The Adrian Peace”

When the Bee herds were fairly split

Among the Elves and Fairies too

So none had reason for upset

“And so my tale comes to an end”

Says the bard, setting lute aside

And he passes a hand o’r the scars of his face

To dry the tears he’s cried

The prince sits still in revere

And his small wings flutter so slightly

Then he shakes his fair head of curls

And touches his woven shirt lightly

And the dark haired Fairy king

Takes the hand of the Elfish Queen

As the fairy bard takes a bow

Before the lord he esteems

He wishes the Lord and lady well

And limping he turns to leave

But then with start the King cries out

And begins in disbelief

“I see your hair though once cut short

Has begin to grow long again”

“But yet I fear,” returns the bard

“Not enough to braid, old friend”

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