Oh man, this song brings back memories. Good or bad? Both, but I think it's a testament to how I've moved on since this song makes me happy. ^__^
So we got this English assignment last night: Write a story in the style of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales according to the criteria of the contest in the story (must have a moral and must be entertaining). It was a 10 line minumum assignment... so, I wrote 208 lines.
No, seriously. I can't believe it- I can RHYME. I did not know that I had the ability to write rhyming couplets.
Prologue to the Gypsy's Tale
And in the silence that followed, chimed in a voice
Who said "I would not listen to you if given a choice.'
And the company turned to see a girl
All decked out in colors and swirls
With sleeves a hanging and beads that jingled
Such an odd appearance, in this crowed she was singled
Out, yet not one recognized her face
So they waited for her to plead her case.
She smiled like an enigma and leaned forwards on her horse
And said simply, 'I'm a gypsy of course,
From the largest troupe in the land
Is it a sin for me to seek God's hand?
For though I am a heathen by what he says
I have seen many lands and many more ways
Than anyone of you could hope to match
I wear the proof on my belt and sash
And I wish to add knowledge of your Lord
To my tribe's long story chord
So we may sing tales of your priests
When the winter falls cold in the East'
The company took this with a weary nod
All but the miller, for he was a clod.
And the host called her forwards, to his side
He said: 'Well, dark madam, if you would not mind
We've a contest of sorts on the make
And if you're to travel with us, for God's sake,
You must tell a story for these women and men
And upon hearing it, the company can
Deem you worthy of this pilgrimage,
If your story was sweet or bitter like sage.'
The gypsy pursed her lips and sighed
Trailing a hand through hair as dark as a lie
She said: 'Well, I have a tale or two, merry sir
Ones that are worthy and won't cause a stir
So if you wish to lend me an ear
I shall speak in a voice so that all can hear...'
The Gypsy's Tale
There once was a girl who wore a hat of
Great flamboyance, with the feather of a dove
Or perhaps a goose, or albino peacock
The local hat store had none in stock
This hat was so large that it drowned her head
The local woman often looked at her and said:
‘The girl, she is a rather peculiar one
Any other girl, a husband she would have won
But this one would rather act the squire
And it will be said at her funeral pyre
That she was quite incapable of winning a man
Or finding a simple peasant boy to hold her hand
And instead ran around playing a Knight
Oh, it is hardly an amusing sight
To see one so young waste her youth
On an activity so unladylike, and uncouth.’
But this girl hardly cared what the women thought
She cared not what her actions wrought
But rather, was a dreamer quite caught in her tales
Of imaginary creatures and unbeaten trails
And so it was one day that she lost her hat
While upon a downy hill she sat
A great gust of wind carried it away
A wind that caused the young trees to sway
She ran after it, quite distressed
Not knowing that it would be the start of a quest
A quest quite remarkable in it’s nature
Especially for a girl of such small stature.
Into the woods her hat had blown
A deep, dark forest where no light shone
It was a place subject of many stories
Of knights who sought everlasting glories
And held their blades proud and high
Pledging their allegiance to God in his sky
And swearing to fight demons to the death
To defend their Lord’s name with every last breath
So into the woods they valiantly marched
Their armor shined and their shirts primly starched
Their squires at their side, bright eyed and eager
Despite the fact that their lot was meager
The Knights were vain in their righteous pride
Not noticing the bones of those who had died
Attempting to brave the perils of this wood
Their attention did not stray where it should
And if it had, their eyes would have caught
The sight of burnt armor tied in a knot
As if someone has crushed it like paper
The glimmer all gone, with none of it’s taper
Perhaps then the Knights might have guessed
What sort of fate awaited at the end of their quest
And would have known that the words the minstrel would spend
On them- their story was not the end.
This girl, however, became rather weary
At the first sign that these woods were not normally scary
She observed with interest the hollowed out corpses
She saw with wide eyes the fallen men’s horses
Long dead, long decayed- a rightful sign
That these woods were not in the slightest kind
To those wishing to prove their mettle
Against invisible tales told round the kettle
In these woods slept a true threat
That no man had truly and bravely met
But the girl twisted her lip and tossed her hair
And said: ‘I am no girl who wanders where
She doesn’t belong. And I want my hat
For I am no man with the virtues of a mat.’
What was to her mind unknown
Was that here laid a beast with strength to hone stone
A beast so fearful his name is forbidden
To be spoken in the presence of children and women
This creature was a dragon, beast of lore
Who with his mighty claws tore
Skin from flesh and flesh from bone
And in this forest he resided alone
No wolf howled and no bird sang
For fear of this beast's inflicted pain
Yet humans were not intelligent creatures
And actively sought beasts with ferocious features
To nail upon their bedroom walls
And woo women with boastly calls
The dragon saw the girl as she entered
And was surprised at the ease with which she cantered
And the more he watched, the more curious he grew
Until he felt no desire to procure her bones and chew
Upon her flesh, for this girl was curious
Not like the knights who had been so serious
And the dragon wondered whether she wished him dead
For she seemed to have no desire for his head.
With great grace, he stepped into her path
Asking carefully, 'Who are you who hath
Entered my land without permission
I am the one to whom you should listen
Not your silly human lords
Who over their land do hoard
With little respect for their fife
And even less for the wild life.'
The girl's eye grew wide like moons
She whispered to herself: 'I'm crazy as a loon
What else could explain the sight in my eyes
A mythical creature who seems very wise.'
The dragon smiled at this assumption
And decided this girl was unfit for consumption
For she had paid him a compliment
And in his eyes a light was lit
'My girl,' said he, 'You are very bright
For what you have said is quite right
I enjoy the philosophy of wise old Voltaire,
Which I read by the light of the star, Altair.
I am a scholar, a trained musician
I know much law, and could be a physician
I am terribly refined, it must shine through
And I do regret the volume of men I slew
But, you see, they were simpleton brutes
Who cared little for things they could not shoot
Or stab through the stomach with a shiny sword
In search of an equally shiny treasure hoard.'
It was then that she saw the dragon's scales were luminescent
And that his eyes were practically effervescent
And she said: 'Sir Dragon, you are a sight to see
More gracious and graceful than a human like me.'
Now this girl was no air headed floozy
She realized that this situation was a doozy
And knew it was luck that this dragon was conceited
She knew she could escape if his ego was kneaded
In such a way that he became disarmed
She could escape using only her charm
However a strange sympathy formed in her heart
For this dragon seemed a lonely sort
And though he was rather full of himself
No one should live as a doll upon a shelf
A life completely solitary
And of you, everyone was weary
The girl could imagine living such a life
If she were made some frivolous man's wife
Or even if she thought of the life she lived now
Where she was looked upon as little more than a cow
To be bought or sold to the highest buyer
No wonder she raised her eyes to look higher
For what else is there for a girl to do
Except marry a man and kiss and coo
It would be like living in a cage
Until she was old of age
And her man deemed her too old for him
And threw her away on a fancy and whim
It would be worse than living alone
For in the woods there was a cone
Of silence and of peace and serenity
Without the cries of babies and a man's infidelity
And so the girl's heart went out to the beast
For they were alike, two dreamers in the least
Living lives that weren't made for them
Chained to their lives like a chicken in a pen
And the girl had a sudden and wild idea
She would refuse to say Mea
Mea Culpa, for you have not sinned
By simply hating the life you are in
'What is you name, tell me fast!
For I glimpse freedom at long last!'
The dragon tipped his head, 'I am Frontinbass
You speak in riddles, what a question to ask.'
'Frontinbass, I have a proposal for you
Would you like to see a land that's new?
This country side is so very dreary
I should like to see the Mediterranean dearly'
And that is how a girl defeated a dragon
It is a tale told on many a gypsy wagon
For we often choose friendship over war
And long ago our people swore
To follow their heart in all matters
No matter their rung on society's ladders
The girl and the dragon found out on that day
That freedom of choice is the gypsy's way.
I'm in a super energetic mood today. I woke up at six and did rope dart in my apartment building's lobby from 6:45 to 7:30. I got some pretty weird looks from people who weren't exactly awake yet. ^___^
I'm going hat shopping on March Break. I'm going to buy myself a really big hat. I'm excited. Yes, that had nothing to do with anything. Wow, I have too much energy. o.O
So we got this English assignment last night: Write a story in the style of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales according to the criteria of the contest in the story (must have a moral and must be entertaining). It was a 10 line minumum assignment... so, I wrote 208 lines.
No, seriously. I can't believe it- I can RHYME. I did not know that I had the ability to write rhyming couplets.
Prologue to the Gypsy's Tale
And in the silence that followed, chimed in a voice
Who said "I would not listen to you if given a choice.'
And the company turned to see a girl
All decked out in colors and swirls
With sleeves a hanging and beads that jingled
Such an odd appearance, in this crowed she was singled
Out, yet not one recognized her face
So they waited for her to plead her case.
She smiled like an enigma and leaned forwards on her horse
And said simply, 'I'm a gypsy of course,
From the largest troupe in the land
Is it a sin for me to seek God's hand?
For though I am a heathen by what he says
I have seen many lands and many more ways
Than anyone of you could hope to match
I wear the proof on my belt and sash
And I wish to add knowledge of your Lord
To my tribe's long story chord
So we may sing tales of your priests
When the winter falls cold in the East'
The company took this with a weary nod
All but the miller, for he was a clod.
And the host called her forwards, to his side
He said: 'Well, dark madam, if you would not mind
We've a contest of sorts on the make
And if you're to travel with us, for God's sake,
You must tell a story for these women and men
And upon hearing it, the company can
Deem you worthy of this pilgrimage,
If your story was sweet or bitter like sage.'
The gypsy pursed her lips and sighed
Trailing a hand through hair as dark as a lie
She said: 'Well, I have a tale or two, merry sir
Ones that are worthy and won't cause a stir
So if you wish to lend me an ear
I shall speak in a voice so that all can hear...'
The Gypsy's Tale
There once was a girl who wore a hat of
Great flamboyance, with the feather of a dove
Or perhaps a goose, or albino peacock
The local hat store had none in stock
This hat was so large that it drowned her head
The local woman often looked at her and said:
‘The girl, she is a rather peculiar one
Any other girl, a husband she would have won
But this one would rather act the squire
And it will be said at her funeral pyre
That she was quite incapable of winning a man
Or finding a simple peasant boy to hold her hand
And instead ran around playing a Knight
Oh, it is hardly an amusing sight
To see one so young waste her youth
On an activity so unladylike, and uncouth.’
But this girl hardly cared what the women thought
She cared not what her actions wrought
But rather, was a dreamer quite caught in her tales
Of imaginary creatures and unbeaten trails
And so it was one day that she lost her hat
While upon a downy hill she sat
A great gust of wind carried it away
A wind that caused the young trees to sway
She ran after it, quite distressed
Not knowing that it would be the start of a quest
A quest quite remarkable in it’s nature
Especially for a girl of such small stature.
Into the woods her hat had blown
A deep, dark forest where no light shone
It was a place subject of many stories
Of knights who sought everlasting glories
And held their blades proud and high
Pledging their allegiance to God in his sky
And swearing to fight demons to the death
To defend their Lord’s name with every last breath
So into the woods they valiantly marched
Their armor shined and their shirts primly starched
Their squires at their side, bright eyed and eager
Despite the fact that their lot was meager
The Knights were vain in their righteous pride
Not noticing the bones of those who had died
Attempting to brave the perils of this wood
Their attention did not stray where it should
And if it had, their eyes would have caught
The sight of burnt armor tied in a knot
As if someone has crushed it like paper
The glimmer all gone, with none of it’s taper
Perhaps then the Knights might have guessed
What sort of fate awaited at the end of their quest
And would have known that the words the minstrel would spend
On them- their story was not the end.
This girl, however, became rather weary
At the first sign that these woods were not normally scary
She observed with interest the hollowed out corpses
She saw with wide eyes the fallen men’s horses
Long dead, long decayed- a rightful sign
That these woods were not in the slightest kind
To those wishing to prove their mettle
Against invisible tales told round the kettle
In these woods slept a true threat
That no man had truly and bravely met
But the girl twisted her lip and tossed her hair
And said: ‘I am no girl who wanders where
She doesn’t belong. And I want my hat
For I am no man with the virtues of a mat.’
What was to her mind unknown
Was that here laid a beast with strength to hone stone
A beast so fearful his name is forbidden
To be spoken in the presence of children and women
This creature was a dragon, beast of lore
Who with his mighty claws tore
Skin from flesh and flesh from bone
And in this forest he resided alone
No wolf howled and no bird sang
For fear of this beast's inflicted pain
Yet humans were not intelligent creatures
And actively sought beasts with ferocious features
To nail upon their bedroom walls
And woo women with boastly calls
The dragon saw the girl as she entered
And was surprised at the ease with which she cantered
And the more he watched, the more curious he grew
Until he felt no desire to procure her bones and chew
Upon her flesh, for this girl was curious
Not like the knights who had been so serious
And the dragon wondered whether she wished him dead
For she seemed to have no desire for his head.
With great grace, he stepped into her path
Asking carefully, 'Who are you who hath
Entered my land without permission
I am the one to whom you should listen
Not your silly human lords
Who over their land do hoard
With little respect for their fife
And even less for the wild life.'
The girl's eye grew wide like moons
She whispered to herself: 'I'm crazy as a loon
What else could explain the sight in my eyes
A mythical creature who seems very wise.'
The dragon smiled at this assumption
And decided this girl was unfit for consumption
For she had paid him a compliment
And in his eyes a light was lit
'My girl,' said he, 'You are very bright
For what you have said is quite right
I enjoy the philosophy of wise old Voltaire,
Which I read by the light of the star, Altair.
I am a scholar, a trained musician
I know much law, and could be a physician
I am terribly refined, it must shine through
And I do regret the volume of men I slew
But, you see, they were simpleton brutes
Who cared little for things they could not shoot
Or stab through the stomach with a shiny sword
In search of an equally shiny treasure hoard.'
It was then that she saw the dragon's scales were luminescent
And that his eyes were practically effervescent
And she said: 'Sir Dragon, you are a sight to see
More gracious and graceful than a human like me.'
Now this girl was no air headed floozy
She realized that this situation was a doozy
And knew it was luck that this dragon was conceited
She knew she could escape if his ego was kneaded
In such a way that he became disarmed
She could escape using only her charm
However a strange sympathy formed in her heart
For this dragon seemed a lonely sort
And though he was rather full of himself
No one should live as a doll upon a shelf
A life completely solitary
And of you, everyone was weary
The girl could imagine living such a life
If she were made some frivolous man's wife
Or even if she thought of the life she lived now
Where she was looked upon as little more than a cow
To be bought or sold to the highest buyer
No wonder she raised her eyes to look higher
For what else is there for a girl to do
Except marry a man and kiss and coo
It would be like living in a cage
Until she was old of age
And her man deemed her too old for him
And threw her away on a fancy and whim
It would be worse than living alone
For in the woods there was a cone
Of silence and of peace and serenity
Without the cries of babies and a man's infidelity
And so the girl's heart went out to the beast
For they were alike, two dreamers in the least
Living lives that weren't made for them
Chained to their lives like a chicken in a pen
And the girl had a sudden and wild idea
She would refuse to say Mea
Mea Culpa, for you have not sinned
By simply hating the life you are in
'What is you name, tell me fast!
For I glimpse freedom at long last!'
The dragon tipped his head, 'I am Frontinbass
You speak in riddles, what a question to ask.'
'Frontinbass, I have a proposal for you
Would you like to see a land that's new?
This country side is so very dreary
I should like to see the Mediterranean dearly'
And that is how a girl defeated a dragon
It is a tale told on many a gypsy wagon
For we often choose friendship over war
And long ago our people swore
To follow their heart in all matters
No matter their rung on society's ladders
The girl and the dragon found out on that day
That freedom of choice is the gypsy's way.
I'm in a super energetic mood today. I woke up at six and did rope dart in my apartment building's lobby from 6:45 to 7:30. I got some pretty weird looks from people who weren't exactly awake yet. ^___^
I'm going hat shopping on March Break. I'm going to buy myself a really big hat. I'm excited. Yes, that had nothing to do with anything. Wow, I have too much energy. o.O