The Soon Wed Prince
© 2004 Joe and Rebecca Duval
The day had since come that the king took his son a-side
“How can you rule your own lands with no queen?”
So the prince called his groomsmen to bring him his surest mount
And set down the road for the maid of his dreams.
He had traveled quite far when he came on a lady
fair-haired like the one in the stories foretold
Her eyes they were blue and her lips kissed with cherries
‘Twas his Maggie, dear heart, to have and to hold.
He lifted her up to ride there beside him
And offered to tie on her own drinking horn
It was then that she pointed to her bramble basket
On the side of the road under cover of thorns.
Now positioned to ride and return to the castle
His Maggie, her horn, and the basket tied on
Her sweet smell in his face and his arms wrapped around her
She whispered, “Dear One, please stop in the next town?”
They turned a few heads as they rode into market
This soon-wed young prince and his maiden so blonde
But before they were gone the few heads turned to dozens
All nodding a greeting to the prince and his Maggie,
three fresh loaves, jeweled combs, bright silks and fine linen,
her horn, and her basket tied on.
On the far side of town they came to a pasture
“Well met,” called a man to the lady so fine
It was Sweet William, the man, who would offer assistance
To the prince and his Maggie, three fresh loaves, jeweled combs,
bright silks and fine linen,
a plump hen for stewing, her best sheep for card weaving,
her horn, and her basket tied on.
At the edge of the pasture there stood a farmhouse
That beckoned the prince with her spell-casting charm
It was there they would find Maggie’s warm feather bed,
and her best sister, Joan, She could not leave her at home, “Please, Dear One,”
and three fresh loaves, jeweled combs,
bright silks and fine linen,
a plump hen for stewing, her best sheep for card weaving,
her horn, and her basket tied on.
Now riding alone, the prince chided his failing
He came to the same end with Mary and Kate
It was Beth he would miss most, or maybe, Dark Ellie
But his too small, if sure, mount decided his fate.
He sat high on his horse through the gates at the castle
A much wiser young prince than before he had gone
The king hurried down to bid them a welcome
The soon–wed young prince and soon to be queen,
by the name of Sweet William, tied on!