“Uncle Billy, tell us a far-fetched story please”
“I’ve told you before boys, my stories are not far-fetched, they are just fetched from afar!”
“After last night’s story in song, perhaps you would like to hear another,” said Uncle picking up his guitar.
For a few moments, he just strummed a few chords, stopping now and again to adjust the pitch of one or other of the strings until he was satisfied that it was correctly in tune.
“That was a little Chinese number called ‘Chu Ning!” he joked when he was satisfied that the instrument was in tune. We had heard this quip many times before, but we dutifully laughed just the same.
“This story is from a time long ago,” he explained as his fingers began to pick out an intricate, lively tune on the guitar. He began to sing the song which he entitled:
Out he rode, this brave young knight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
Dressed in armour, shining bright,
Riding out to meet the foe.
When he met a damsel fair,
Blue of eye and gold of hair,
Fell in love, this knight with her.
Riding out to meet the foe.
“Sir!” said she to this brave young knight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
“Will you help me in my plight?”
Riding out to meet the foe.
“In yonder castle over there,
Lives a knight with steel grey hair,
For none but himself does he care!”
Riding out to meet the foe.
“Evil is done by this steel-grey knight,”
Riding out to meet the foe.
“His power and riches were won by might,”
Riding out to meet the foe.
“He has my family in his dungeon bare,
He threatens their lives unless I share
His marriage bed, for which I don’t care.”
Riding out to meet the foe.
“Fear not, sweet maid!” said the brave young knight.
Riding out to meet the foe.
“For I will help you in your plight!”
Riding out to meet the foe.
He rode to the castle and once he was there,
On a silver trumpet, he blew a fanfare,
To challenge the knight with the steel-grey hair.
Riding out to meet the foe.
The drawbridge crashed down, out charged the grey knight!
Riding out to meet the foe.
All black was his armour, a frightening sight.
Riding out to meet the foe.
“Foolish knight!” roared he, “Are you not aware
Of my might and power?” No answer was there,
But the thundering of hooves was heard through the air.
Riding out to meet the foe.
Lance to the fore, up charged the brave knight.
Riding out to meet the foe.
He pierced the armour of the steel-grey knight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
But the evil knight did not fight fair,
He aimed his lance at the charging mare
That the brave young knight was riding there.
Riding out to meet the foe.
His steed was killed, down crashed the brave knight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
Though wounded, advantage was to the grey knight.
Riding out to meet the foe.
He drew his sword and dismounted there
He strode towards our hero fair,
Death was in his icy stare.
Riding out to meet the foe.
Our hero rose and began to fight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
He struck at his foe with all of his might,
Riding out to meet the foe.
The clash of steel was heard in the air,
As blow for blow was struck by the pair,
The damsel looked on and wept with despair.
Riding out to meet the foe.
The pitch-black armour with blood ran bright,
Riding out to meet the foe.
Our hero’s sword it sang with delight,
Riding out to meet the foe. Now mortally wounded, his foe lay there,
His soul descending to Hell’s dark lair.
The maiden’s love our hero will share.
Riding out to meet the foe.
Then back to the castle rode the brave knight,
Riding out to meet the foe.
On his foe’s black stallion, now his by right,
Riding out to meet the foe.
And riding by him, a damsel was there,
With bright blue eyes and long fair hair,
His bride, who soon would carry his heir.
Riding out to meet the foe.
As he had done the previous night, Uncle Billy continued to play the tune on his guitar, gradually letting it fade away to nothing and that night, we dreamt of knights and castles, battles and damsels in distress.
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