The Merry Minstrel of Mickleover

The Merry Minstrel of Mickleover I strike this chord without a sword For I am not so brave Whence came a knight with armour bright Who vowed princess to save The wicked sire of the shire Had seen well to kidnap The daughter of the king and bring Much wealth into his lap Handsome he thought the ransom The king was sure to pay For fear his precious princess dear The wicked sire would slay From his abode the knight he rode Through wind and rain and storm O’er hill and dale and muddy trail His quest to keep him warm The castle wall it looked so tall Impregnable in height Banged on the door and yet once more His iron fist with might The surly sire quoths to enquire “Who raps upon my door” “Tis mystery, now set her free Or death you’ll lay before” With lunge and slash with swords they clash Upon the open plain Died his desire there in the mire As evil sire is slain The princess freed from needless greed Sort knight to gift reward “Place in my hand just thine hair band If this please thy accord” ( The minstrels song lived large and long Was sung all o’er the land Where ‘ere he been could still be seen Rebec ‘dorned with blue band ) Rebec; A medaeval violin type instrument Mickleover; A village in Derbyshire, England Though now a suburb of the City of Derby The residents still refer to it as ‘The Village’ For Medaeval Idealism Contest Sponsor, Isaiah Zerbst