Stave 8
Startled by an echo in the mountains,
Barking dogs, hunting horns and guns,
Elisa ran inside the cave and tied the nettles she had spun
Into a bundle, upon which she sat down.
The hunting hounds had sniffed her out,
Leaping and barking all about.
They were joined by hunters in a ring,
The most handsome of them was the king,
Who asked her how she came to be there.
Elisa, in fear of her brothers’ lives, could not reply,
Only shake her head and sigh,
And keep her blistered fingers out of sight.
The king promised her everything:
Dresses in silk and velvet, a golden ring,
A crown and the luxury of a palace.
But as he lifted her onto his horse,
And galloped through the mountains,
She wept and wrung her hands.
They arrived just as the sun began to set,
The city’s towers and domes were silhouettes.
Inside the royal palace’s marble halls
Were splashing fountains and waterfalls,
And sumptuous paintings filled the walls.
Elisa let herself be dressed
By maidservants.
She had the very best
Pearls woven in her hair and silken gloves
To cover her blistered hands.
So dazzling was her beauty, the courtiers bowed
And the king decided to take her for his bride.
The archbishop shook his head and took him to one side,
Warning the king that Elisa was the spawn of witches,
Who had cast a spell on the king to steal his riches.
The king dismissed these words and called
For music, food and dancing in the halls
As the silent Elisa was led into her chamber.
It was decorated with green tapestry,
Depicting caves and forestry,
To make it seem like the place where she’d been found;
The bundle of flax was on the ground
Covered by the one shirt she had finished.
© Kim M. Russell, 2016
Image found on http://www.katrinahaney.com/wp/?cat=53
writing in north norfolk 