THE KING WHO SAILED AT THE END OF THE EARTH
"I quit", said the king, "there's nothing to do.
Everything's old and nothing is new.
I've seen all the players, know all of their names,
and I'm tired of hunting and fighting and games.
I'm gonna live in a cave in a slope, unless you have a better idea, I hope"
"That's silly," a quick thinking jester replied,
"to hide in a cave is not dignified.
A person who finds himself royal at birth,
should do something grand, like … sail of the earth?"
The king asked his wise men what they thought of that.
"You could, they replied, for the world is quite flat!"
"Me lords!" said the king, "this is fine sailing weather.
Well sail to the edge and we'll go off together!"
He asked who was coming , the answers were slow.
It seemed that not many were anxious to go.
So he ordered the peasants to join him at sea,
and a band of musicians, as scared as could be.
The music was sad, and the peasants were white
As they wave them good bye the ship sailed out of site
"Head straight to the edge" said the king to the crew
who started to cry, and the peasants did do.
Then the musician all started pawl
While playing sad songs and expecting to fall
But after a day they got tired of crying
and after a week they weren't even sighing.
Then just when they weren't quite so sad anymore,
they ran out of food so they pulled into shore
We can't stay to long said the king with a glair,
but the end of the week found them still anchored there.
The people were friendly, their music was gay,
they sang and they danced, in a strange bouncy way.
The food was delicious, their clothes made with string,
they taught all their games to the visiting king.
But then he grew restless and bordered the ship,
with all of his men for the rest of the trip
When I make my mind up the king told its crew ,
my mind is made up so theirs nothing to do
but sail to the edge he cried, and be quick
The crew members sniffled the peasant felt sick
The frightened musicians to not keep the tune,
they all had a feeling the end would be soon.
But the sunshine grew warm and the breezes blew sweet,
so the sailed till they ran out of something to eat.
Then they stopped to get food and they all stayed on shore
Till the king gave the word then they'd sail off once more
And each of the countries were different and fun
And they visited many before they were done.
But one starry evening, just after they dined,
The king told his men "I'm quite sad I find
Though this trip grow more exciting each day
I wish we could go on forever this way
I've got a strange feeling the edge is quite near
Drop anchor till morning, he said with a tear.
The sun in the morning showed land to one side
And a big crowed of people, were home! The king cried
Its the king, said the wise men, but where have you been?
Can you sail of the earth and get back on again?
Not at all said the king, we went sailing and found
That the Earth has no edge, for we sailed clear around
And thought from the start we expected to fall,
we learned from our trip that the world is a ball.
The people all cheered, but the wise men would not
The world is flat, as we always have thought!
But the wonderful tales from the men on the ship,
Convinced all the others for made such a trip.
Explenations
Jester - ., a professional fool employed by a medieval ruler to amuse him
peasant - a person regarded as coarse, boorish, ignorant, etc.
King - a male ruler of a nation or state usually called a kingdom
or Chess the chief piece, which can move one square in any direction: see CHECKMATE
