 |
Good King Wenceslas looked out
on the feast of Stephen,
when the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,
when a poor man came in sight,
gathering winter fuel.
"Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know'st it, telling:
yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence,
underneath the mountain,
right against the forest fence
by Saint Agnes fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine
when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went,
forth they went together
through the rude wind's wild lament
and the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now,
and the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps my good page,
tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's step he trod,
where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
wealth or rank possessing,
ye who now will bless the poor
shall yourselves find blessing!
STEPHEN'S FEAST
by Jean Richardson, illustrations by Alice Englander
"The carol about "Good King Wenceslas'' is expanded into a sentimental story in which a rather thoughtless young page is taken along to see how the less fortunate live; the bounty he and his king take to the humble cottage is shared in a sumptuous feast after the king himself builds up the fire. The telling is adequate if prosaic; it does serve to explicate John Mason Neale's verse, which younger children may find obscure. Englander's attractive illustrations set the story appropriately in medieval Eastern Europe; the page (also named Stephen--it's his birthday as well as the saint's day) looks like an appealing blond member of a modern third grade, while the grandly clothed king is thoughtful and suitably benign. Not essential, but enjoyable." (ages 4-8) -- quote from Kirkus Associates.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS
by Pauline Baynes
Pauline Baynes' (Chronicles of Narnia) beautiful Byzantine-influenced illustrations accompany her exciting telling of the story behind the carol of King Wenceslas. (Ages 8 and up) Her historical note at the end of the book says: "Wenceslas probably lived between AD 907-929, and began ruling Bohemia about AD 925. He founded many churches, but his attempt to convert all his subjects to Christianity was not popular. The precise date of this assassination is not certain, but it was probably September or December AD 929. He was later canonised, and became a patron saint of Bohemia.
: Aslan with Susan and Lucy
, 
). 
(which have sold over 100 million copies) and will forever be linked with those seven stories...but she also illustrated over 100 other books, many of which - in her later career - were of a religious theme.
(This book is out of print - beautiful illustrations!)
