The Doubting Knight and Fairies
copyright 2011 by jon gutmacher

“Who says that fairies
do not exist?”
Said Queen to knight, who laughed
“For in the wood
most every night
their spirits come and pass!”

“Oh, Majesty
My life is yours
but certainly, you must see
that fairies are
a joke of time
as legends are prone
to be!”

“Then come with me
this very night
into the wood
we’ll go
and you will see
your errant ways
as fairies come
and glow!”

He laughed with that
and bowed to her
but the challenge did he see
and so he said:
“But one more thing
would you care
to wager me?”

She also laughed
with those around
and nodded to his jest
“Yes, I will
three crowns of gold
against your sword and crest!”

“A bet it is!
I’ll take that now
and see you late this night
for you and I
with servant each
will vouch
if you are right!”

The moon so black
the shadows dead
the night like thickened smoke
and add to that
a chilling mist
that hung across
the moat

“Oh, what a night
to set us out
on such a foolish quest
my bones do chill
no fairies will
venture out
even if they do exist!”

But a wager made
is a wager done
and so they bundled out
and stumbled on
an ancient path
that led thru woods
about

“Is this the spot?”
in hushed tones said
“Where your fairies come
to dance?
it is so bleak
and thick with brush
and thorns that
cut my pants.”

But the Queen was firm
and serious now
and hushed him with a look
and so they waited
til time stood still
as they leaned against a nook

And then from naught
slight music played
like prancing in the brain
and flashing lights
danced thru the wood
then gathered
in mist soaked rain

And fairies much
like butterflies
came fluttering to the clear
they danced the air
with joyousness
as several drew
quite near

And knight moved slight
but ah so quick
to capture one
so close
but quicker than
the eye could see
all vanished
like a ghost

“Pay up, my knight!”
The Queen laughed loud
“For legends have come true!
But, keep your sword
as a lesson learned
forever
that you know”

And so the knight
placed fist on heart
and bowed
with honor said:
“I think, my Queen
a lesson learned
that legends are all
not dead!”

And if a moral
you need be
can come from what you’ve read
keep open mind
and open heart
and listen to all
that’s said

For fairies
creatures of the night
and others of their kind
although are legends
once were real
but still exist
in mind