Jess+Tobia

The Maiden’s Tale

Here is a tale of a pair of suitors, A fair maiden, and how they pursuit her. This is a fair warning, for the story Is mushy-gushy and somewhat gory. Many agree that this tale deems homage But first let me give you background knowledge. One of the suitors, a butcher was he, Came to the village at age thirty-three Where he befriended a cruel fisherman Who fathered a young girl, still a virgin Was she. Rebellious though, she engaged The butcher (who was at least twice her age!). They kept all their affairs in secrecy For he respected her privacies. She had secrets, dark secrets of her own. She had been seeing the master of stone, The town’s welder. He knew not the butcher And the butcher not he. Now, their pleasure Was with the girl (and we know love is blind) So this is where their stories intertwine. Finally, the butcher found out about The welder and then exploded in shouts At the fair maiden. Tears streamed down her face, Guilt he felt, he held her in an embrace And told her he would fight to win her heart. She was in shock! She assumed they would part Ways once he found out the truth but he stayed. The welder, must know the truth, no delays, And the maiden knew. So she told the truth Then she knew she wanted spend her youth With the welder. Of course he felt resent Towards her and the butcher, but then he spent A moment calming down and he told her ‘Well, the butcher, must be gone forever.’ And she agreed so the butcher was gone And the maiden and the welder lived on   Their merry lives forgetting completely The butcher, who planned revenge discreetly. He stayed in his chambers all through the year But still, the butcher could not help but tear Up at the thought of his love and the welder Sharing a bed when he could’ve held her. All of a sudden he thought of a plan That would prove to her he was the best man. He acted on whim, and did not think this through Which he should have because the plan would do   No justice for his cause. Have you acted On impulse and had it end well? Impacted You negatively it probably did. Being alone in a house where he hid, He found confidence in his alcohol Where his drunkenness made him act primal. As we all know, there are drunks who are fun But he was a drunk who should not be one. Back to the maiden and the welder’s love; He and she have put each other above Anyone else, spending all their time with Each other. But on the month of the fifth The welder had to leave so they bid adieus And parted ways. Then, in the maiden’s view, She saw the silhouette of a large man Coming towards her. Though she knew she should’ve ran, Her curiosity was her demise. You know what’s coming, but to her surprise, The figure was the butcher, swaying drunk With each step he took, clearly in a funk From losing the girl. She then felt some guilt For hurting this man, so courage was built As she assisted to his cottage (Which, because of his weight, was a challenge). Drunk words ‘I love you, I’m better than him’ Came out of his mouth, making chances slim As to winning her from the welder’s hand. She knew now he was a fool, and be damned If she went back to him. Rarely do we   See women making good choices as she. Yet she didn’t know that this drunk bastard Has become violent from being plastered. He called her a flousy, he called her a wench, He got so angry that his fists were clenched. Now, anyone in their right minds would leave But the maiden was still young and naive. She pleaded for him to calm down his mind But he wouldn’t listen, she was wasting her time. Then, he took a swing and then another at the wall of his home breaking a shutter. Blood poured from his knuckles, the girl was scared But she stayed with him. Was her mind impaired? He cried and told her that she broke his heart But it was no use, his plan fell apart. The girl only sees a drunk, stinky fool Who lost all respect for himself, and who’ll End up alone in a ditch somewhere strange While she will be with the man who won’t change A thing on her for he loves her as is. She wiped the butcher’s blood from the crevice Of her dress and walked away from the threat Her previous lover imposed. She met Her welder at home, told him what occurred To which he replied, ‘Not another word, My dear, this man will not hurt you once more I will kill him for you, bust down his door And strangle him to death; safe I’ll keep you.’ ‘No need,’ she recounted, ‘I love you too.’