(In which a former prisoner makes good by managing to offend one damosel and behead a second, who had no time to be offended, then decides he may have outstayed his welcome and jumps bail.)
The knights were all called to a tourney
after which they would take off and journey
to fight with King Rience
for all his malfeasance
in using King Lot as attorney.
But a damosel came, girt with sword
and said to King Arthur, “My Lord,
I need a great knight
to put things aright
and all of those here look quite bored.”
She’d been sent by her Lady, Avelion* (* pronounced Av-le-on)
to ask if the king would decree on
a deed of import
that she very much thought
would be something they all could agree on.
The sword that she wore was enchanted
for a virtuous knight would be granted
the right to remove it
from its sheath which would prove it,
and all else who tried would leave panted.
When those in attendance all failed
the last, an ex-pris’ner once bailed,
Sir Balin by name,
Put his “betters” to shame
even though for six months he’d been jailed
At this, Arthur’s court was amazed
and Sir Balin was toasted and praised,
though the damosel wanted
the sword back (’twas haunted.)
But Balin declined, he weren’t fazed.
Yet the curse of the sword would soon cause
his destruction, as those are the laws
of magic like this
(and plot lines insist)
that he kill those he loved without pause.
As Balin made haste to depart,
the Lady (who had a big part
in the previous book)
her Lake she forsook,
to collect on her debt, for a start.
King Arthur owed her for his sword,
his original broken and scored.
But now she was callin’
for the head of Sir Balin,
or the damosel’s. Arthur was floored.
When he heard this, Sir Balin was shaken
for his mum’s head, the Lady had taken
a few years before,
so he called her a whore
and carved off hers, easy as bacon.
This made Arthur angry, forsooth,
for such things are really uncouth.
So Balin made tracks
with the sword and some packs.
Ah, such are the follies of youth.
3 June 2024
Empty Chairs 