The Ballad of Sir Mantis

From my upcoming fantasy novel, Flight of the Raven. I hope it isn’t too obscure without the story as backdrop.

The Ballad of Sir Mantis

By the shores of Whent, in ages gone,
white spires stretched so high.
Towers, tall, flew banners bold;
scarlet lion, vanilla sky.

Proud Mantis Town, the kingdom’s gem,
watched over and justly ruled
by hedge knight, brave, with daughter, fair;
the brightest of his jewels.

O maidens, come! Hear the tale of noble knight, Sir Mantis.

Evil broke on golden shores
foul witches, one, two, three.
The regal Lords, a treaty signed,
to keep Whent’s children free.

When solstice sun in summer sets,
to Crones’ Hill must acquiesce
a maiden, chaste, fair of face;
nothing more and nothing less.

O maidens, come! Hear the tale of loving sire, Sir Mantis.

Then dawned the day the father feared,
his armour and mighty shield
could not protect his daughter, sweet,
in stone her dread fate sealed.

A rage like none the world had known,
made reckless the mighty sword.
On forest foul, his charger fell
in defiance of his Lord.

O maidens, come! Hear the tale of fallen knight, Sir Mantis.

A gleaming knight and fifty blades
with thirst for old-world crones,
in darkness deep, found waking sleep;
now empty lie their homes.

By the shores of Whent, in ages gone,
where spires once stretched high,
‘A father’s love, his village doomed,’
the ghostly ruins cry.

O maidens, come! Ware the tale of endless night, poor Mantis.

Ryan Stone