The Ballad of Bard

"The Ballad Of Bard" attempts to mirror the old narrative poems like "Beowulf," "Pearl" and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" in style. I looked especially at "Beowulf" when setting up the scansion.

The beast's grim legends were well known.

They'd passed, mouth to ear, many miles

Until the tales reached Bard of Brûm,

A peasant, plain, and spat upon.

For Bard was poor, a blacksmith's son

And other men that were his age

Were wealthy, well known, owned good land

Or had been dubbed great knights and dukes.

Now Bard had heard about this beast.

Half wolf half dragon was the word,

But he had not heard all the news

When three fine men came needing swords.

"I'll take it's tongue with one fine stroke!"

One man cried out courageously.

Another said, "I'll take it's heart!"

"Now now," the last man said in jest.

"I'll slay the beast with just one hand.

"Then I think the princess would"

He laughed then, "surely favor me!"

"Why gentlemen," then Bard spoke up.

"Your talk is tall. Is all this true?"

"Young lad," the first knight stroked his beard.

"We hope to battle, each, the beast!

"A fine reward there is as well -

"The princess and a lot of land!"

"A lot of land," Bard smiled at length.

"Yes, yes," the second knight stepped forth.

"Make haste now. Hurry! Fetch us swords!"

As Bard was choosing three fine blades

The three men murmured 'mongst themselves.

In truth they feared the evil beast

So they agreed upon a plan.

When Bard returned their plan set sail.

The first knight said, "You arms are strong

"Your eyes are keen, your wit the same.

"Why don't YOU fight the fearsome beast?"

Now Bard was taken back by this

But while he wondered at those words,

The third man said, "The reason that

"We ask you this is from our hearts.

"We're all well off, well known, and such

"But you are but a blacksmith - poor.

"And seeing that you're strong in chance

"We do not wish to steal your time

"To win a bit of wealth yourself."

And now Bard drifted into dreams.

To have a lively lot of land!

The third knight cried, "We do insist!"

And Bard was sold. He smiled with glee.

The three young knights took bard along

Along their way to where the beast

Was said to've made his current home,

Each thinking Bard was soon to die.

You see, dear Bard indeed was strong

And each of them were sure

That he would slay the slimy beast

But not survive the fight himself.

For the tales Bard hadn't heard

Were of the beast's disgusting fangs

Full of deadly venom that

Would kill with but the smallest slash.

The knights surmised that even strength

Would help no fight to escape

A single would cast by the beast...

So they would, after Bard had died

Divide the land amongst themselves

And toss a coin for princess' hand

Pretending one of them had won

The brutal battle with the beast.

They set a camp and made a fire

And then encouraged Bard to find

The grizzly beast and have his fight

So Bard set out to face his foe.

He'd brought a sword he'd made himself

And drew it out against the sun

That went to set and burnt the sky.

The night began. There was a noise.

Bard spun to see the scraggly beast.

Its head like a dragon's is.

Its body, though, was like a wolf.

Its fangs were shining bright with spit.

Bard slashed his blade against its skin

But then the beast was only raged.

It scraped its claws down Bard's left arm

But Bard was quick and pierced its eye.

It screeched and fled in pain and fear,

The shrill cry ehcoed 'cross the land

And so the three knights stood at last

And praised their petty little plan.

They rushed to where the sound had come.

Bard's body and the beast's weren't there.

They looked around but all was still.

The first knight knew it had gone wrong.

"The beast is still alive somewhere!"

"Well I'm not staying here," said one.

They fled the woods with worried haste.

The beast had lived and Bard had died.

But Bard lived on and made his way

Back to the camp that they had set

But they were gone. He was alone.

He was confused but made a fire.

He'd realized he'd need a sword

Sharper than his current blade

To cut the skin of that fell beast.

So in the fire and with a rock

He shaped his sword with mighty skill

Until the blade was thin and sharp.

Just as the blade was made complete

The beast leapt out in front of Bard,

But Bard ducked from the seeing eye

And stabbed the monster in the heart.

Its cry was louder than before

And pierced the ears of many

But Bard cried out victoriously,

"I've won the battle with the beast!"

I cut some hair off of the beast

And marched out of the forest,

Went to the city to claim his prize

And the three knights saw him there.

They thought that they beheld a ghost,

But Bard showed off the monster's hair

And then the King dubbed Bard and knight

And gave to him his much earned gifts.

Bard built a castle on his land

And wed the princess, who he loved.

Their life was well and wonderful

And that is where the tale ends.