The Lay of Mount Petite Jean

Canto VII: The Contest.

Read in landscape

So, maiden sought to ready self for test
In foolish hope that noble's blade she'll best.
But means for maid were very scant and dire
For woman thought for sure that ship would hire

The hand of any willing given aid,
And take whatever help from strangers gave.
Instead, she's stuck with little means or goods,
And maid alone in strangest city's stood.

So peasant sells the horse she rode on way
In hopes that money earned will let her stay,
And prove her worth to captain, lord, and love
That maid might join the man on helm above.

She goes to inn and rents a room to stay
That maid on noble ship might win her way.
With bed to rest and stay now fast secured
She buys a saber hoping blade becomes inured

To hand of maid with many hours trained,
And prays to God that skills are swiftly gained.
About the city maiden current went
In quest for teacher peasant's quickly sent.

For long she searched to find a master blade
But none there lie for price that maid can pay
To teach the servant ways of saber sword
Bestowing all their skill along with lore,

But maid refuses great despairing path
Nor turns herself to hand of futile wrath.
Instead, she sets to train by self with rusted blade
In hopes that skill by hardest labor's made. 

Without a place or person found to train
She goes to shipping yard in heat and rain
To teach herself before appointed time
In hopes that way to best the prince she'll find.

Against a post she tries to train her skill
Possessing only iron heart and will.
And many saw and spoke of fury great
How slightest cabin boy defied his fate,

And won respect of many men who spied
How boy who worked to change his fate now tried.
His tale across the shipping docks now spread
Into the ears of noble news was fed.

That told the man of boy who trained in yard,
And strove to meet the challenge great and hard.
So down he went where boy did sweating train
Though knowing failure captain tried to gain

By granting hardest chore as entrance fee
So child would cease and stop his ardent pleas.
Through crowds at docks the captain pushes slow
On down, to ramshod training place he goes. 

When seeing thing the captain's surely struck
At sight of boy who tries his fate and luck.
Without a teacher stood he hot in day,
And railed against a post that's very frayed

With all the strokes he former cut with blade,
And added still to many gashes made.
Then captain pondered long his former plan,
And weighed in mind the value bore by man.

Then after long the cabin boy he sought,
And up to man who challenged him he walked.

"I would have you to let me yet train you with blade
For there's only so much you can learn by yourself on this post.
By yet many a year and a master this swordsman was made

In this craft I am great, of my skill with a sword I can boast.
So now take of my time and my talent with weapon as well
Of your lessons and practice I will make of myself what is host.

To yet turn from me greatest of defeats would surely yet spell.
There's no way you will pass with your labor and courage alone
Will you take from me skills that in hand of this noble now dwells

So the craft of your sword with my knowledge is greatly yet honed."

Then looking up from post to lover's face
That held for foe a strange and eerie grace.
She presses on in hopes to learn his will
To know what plan the prince did wish fulfilled.