Chatterbox: Pudding's Place

The Tale of Sir Galifray! 

Hey guys! I just wanted to share a poem I wrote for a medieval festival with you guys!

And no, before you ask, it's not about Dr. Who. I guess the name just kind of got inside my head, and the by the time I realized that I have named him after the Doctor's home planet (ah, the life of a Whovian)..... well..... I had already rhymed it in there. Besides.... I like it. 

So, hope you enjoy! Allons-y!

(One more thing. Admins, I'm sorry it's so long, but I couldn't cut any of it out without making the story confusing. Sorry! Hope you don't mind!)

The Tale of Sir Galifray. 

 

A long time ago

In a land far away

There once lived a knight 

Named Sir Galifray. 

 

The young knight was brave, 

Adventures and kind, 

But his one fatal flaw

Was his obnoxious pride. 

 

He'd ride off each morning, 

Seeking action and glory, 

He'd have grand adventures, 

That grew dangerous and gory. 

 

The reason Sir Galifray 

Knew so much fame

Is that after each battle

He'd boast without shame. 

 

He'd enter a tavern, 

And stand on the stage, 

And tell stories of how 

He was daring and brave. 

 

The bards heard his stories

And gave them a tune.

Then they sang them by day

Or by light of the moon.

 

And soon these great tales

Gained so much renown

That they reached the grand ears 

Or the man 'neath the crown. 

 

The King smiled when he heard

These illustrious ballads

And said "Bring him here, 

To my royal palace.

 

"I'm sure this young knight 

Of whom the bards sing

Would love to come hence

And talk to his king." 

 

Now, let me just mention

Before I proceed, 

What sort of man 

Was our good majesty. 

 

He was strong, wise and brave

On the field of battle

He'd slaughter the enemy

Like they were cattle.

 

If you asked anybody

What they really thought

Of the most current ruler

This might monarch

 

Then their eyes would light up, 

And with joy they'd exclaim

"Our king helps the sick, the poor

And the lame." 

 

They they'd look all around

And lower their head, 

And say in a whisper

"So you don't end up dead, 

Just do not displease him, 

That's all need be said."

 

This was quite true; if you earned his dislike

You'd soon find yourself

With your head on a pike. 

 

This, as you see, 

Was the state of affairs

That Sir Galifray walked into 

Quite unawares.

 

He rode up to the castle, 

Wearing pride like a cloak. 

He clopped towards the drawbridge

And over the moat. 

 

The king bade him enter, 

Sir Galifray bowed, 

Though not very low,,

As respect should allow.

 

The kind frowned quite darkly; 

This young knight annoyed him.

Was he not the king, 

Who payed and employed him?

 

This rash disrespect, 

This refusal to bow, 

Irritated the king;

He furrowed his brow.

 

Sir Galifray, meanwhile, 

Still wore his smile wide, 

Knowing nothing of danger, 

Or dishonored pride.

 

And though he excelled

At wielding a sword

He was not quite the brightest, 

As you will soon learn.

 

Later, at dinner, 

The king feigned to favor

This self-obsessed knight

With dishonorable behavior

 

The king let him speak

Of his tales of glory, 

He waited until 

They grew harrowing and gory

 

Then the king stood up tall, 

And in a loud voice, 

Said "Tell me young knight, 

Once you've finished that flagon, 

Have you ever in your life 

Defeated...... a dragon?" 

 

 

Instantly silence

Fell through the room

For there was but one dragon, 

And that dragon spelled doom.  

 

For, far away

Over hill, over vale, 

There lived a grand dragon

The great Firescale. 

 

No man who fought him

Came back alive 

Why would it be different

For this rash young knight?

 

Galifray, as I said, 

was not very clever,

He stood up from his meal, and said 

"It's my pleasure. 

 

"I've defeated a wide

Variety of beasts

This dragon, I'm sure, 

I will take down with ease." 

 

The king smiled, and said

It would be quite a journey

Sir Galifray said

That'd he'd start in the morning.

 

And so he rides off

To an uncertain fate, 

not knowing, or caring, 

What dangers await. 

 

Now listener, I very much wish I could say

That Sir Galifray won, and was king of the day. 

That he slayed the fierce dragon, 

Won honor and glory,

But I can't; that wouldn't be telling the story. 

 

He rode on and on

For many long days

Till he finally came

To Firescale's cave. 

 

Inside the cave, 

Firescale was asleep. 

He lay with his head

Atop his clawed feet. 

 

His scales were crimson, 

His eyes burned with heat. 

He yawned, and sat up

Waking from a deep sleep.

 

He looked down to see

Galifray standing tall, 

Though to his perspective 

He looked very small. 

 

Firescale sighed

And sleepily said

"I supposes, since you're here, 

You must want me dead." 

 

Galllifray nodding, replied, 

"If you please, 

I quite mean to kill you, 

I'll do it with ease." 

 

Firescale yawned; 

His eyes gleamed with death

He leaned down his head

And took a deep breath. 

 

 

Then out from his jaws

Flowed a torrent of flame, 

That flowed, like a river, 

Upon Galifray. 

 

And when he was done, 

All that remained

Of this figure of pride, 

And honor and fame, 

 

Was the hilt of a sword

And a puddle of lead. 

This deluded hero

Was now truly dead. 

 

Firescale snorted, 

Vaguely amused, 

Then went back to his cave

To finish his snooze.  

 

Now, this may be seen

As tragic or comic

But there is one lesson

That you should learn from it. 

 

Wherever you are, 

Whoever you be, 

Never mouth off

Before royalty.