King Michael of Darkness

Michael the Marvelous, King of the land,

Son of the merciful Robert the Grand

 

Was enjoying the night that he turned thirty-two

As the people arrived for the party he threw

 

The princes of Rya and stewards of Gome

Were guests in the castle, his majesty’s home

 

The cake from the baker was seven feet high

Which quite put to shame the poor pie-maker’s pie

 

The King and the Queen danced a royalish jig

While Duchess Von Burkenham ate some roast pig

 

Not a dry eye was found when the Queen made her toast

The glasses were raised in salute of their host

 

But the merriment ceased as a black cloud appeared,

And from it, a haggard old man slowly neared

 

Along by his side walked a sunny-beaked duck

Which the cook was imagining broiled and plucked

 

He wore robes to the floor and a toppling hat,

And he hobbled his way up to where the King sat

 

“My sire, I ask for your ear, if I may,

To offer you tribute on this, your birthday

 

This duck grants a wish, when you ask it aloud”

And with that, the old man disappeared in his cloud

 

With a waddle, a hop, and a medieval QUACK

The duck sat himself on the mighty King’s lap

 

The King felt part silly and slightly confused

But cancel the party? He simply refused

 

There were presents, some music, and not-so-great pie

While the duck waited patiently by the King’s side

 

Until, with a laugh, Michael spoke to a friend

“I wish, how I wish, that this night would not end!”

 

When you wish for a wish, you must mind every word,

For a magic-wish duck is a powerful bird!

 

The duck’s magic beak turned from golden to blue

The wish had been granted, and off the duck flew

 

As wishes go, this one was one of the worst

From that moment on, the poor kingdom was cursed

 

With morning came darkness, no warmth and no sun

The night would continue, the damage was done

 

For weeks Michael hoped for the coming of light

While the crops withered slowly in shadow of night

 

The King offered rubies and emeralds galore

To a knight who could bring the old man to his door

The hunters went forth on a duck-finding quest

And until they were captured, the king would not rest

 

But no one had seen the duck’s gold-colored beak,

And the man was not found, despite searching for weeks

 

 

Off in the forest, a small cabin stood

The old man had built it with amber black wood

 

This man was a wizard named Sonto the Bad

Who was banished by Robert, good King Michael’s dad

 

By the man’s side sat his duck and a box,

A box with a trio of tri-colored locks

 

Inside of the box, Sonto locked up the sun

And magic, just magic, could make this undone

 

 

 

 

Weeks became months, and the sun never shone

The peasants were angry and started to groan

 

Finally, Michael could take it no more

It was he would fix things and settle the score!

 

So rarely did Kings travel solo by horse,

But Michael charged on, and he stayed on his course

 

The council had urged him that East would be best,

And they rarely were right, so the King traveled West

 

The road was not safe, filled with perilous foes

Like armies of warthogs and red forest trolls

 

He battled the creatures without any fear

In brave king-ish ways that are not mentioned here

 

On day three, the King paused to look at his map

And somehow, instead, he slipped into a nap

 

He slept rather soundly on leaf-covered ground

And awoke from his dream when he heard a loud sound

 

When he looked round a tree, Michael spotted the source

“A cabin!” he whispered, and tied up his horse

 

Up to the window, he creeped and he crept

When he saw the old wizard, he cheered and he lept!

 

“I found you!” he shouted, and burst through the door

(Though a king should know better than manners so poor)

 

He insisted the wizard reverse what he’d done,

Then he took back his wish and demanded the sun

 

“I am Sonto the Bad” the old wizard replied,

“You and your family, I wholly despise

 

I’d rather eat wormtoads than do what you say,

But I offer you this, a small game we shall play

 

Inside of this box lies the magic you seek,”

Sonto grinned wide and continued to speak

 

“Three keys for three locks, are the only way in,

Answer three riddles, to unlock them and win

 

But if you should fail, or not answer in time,

Your title is forfeit, your kingdom is mine!”

 

A king must be wise to rule over a nation,

So King Michael agreed without hesitation

 

They both took a seat, and the duck gave a glare

The King, without knowing, had taken his chair

 

The box sat atop of a stand in the middle

Sonto spoke first, to recite the first riddle

 

“I can climb up a hill and reach out to the sky,

And still you’d be taller- I ask, who am I?”

 

“An ant,” said the king, as the old wizard frowned

“Whose hill only sits but an inch off the ground.”

 

 

 

Sonto the Bad muttered, “Well…lucky guess

We’ll see how you handle the riddle up next”

 

“There’s nothing as large, not on land or at sea,

But you won’t feel my weight, when you rest under me”

 

The King answered back with the promptest reply,

“Enormous and weightless, you must be the sky.”

 

Sonto was mad, he did not like to lose

For the last of his riddles, he knew which to choose

 

“I’m many years older, and although this is true,

 Somehow I’ve seen fewer nights than have you.”

 

Sonto laughed out as he watched the King think,

Until the good King gave a smile and wink

 

“The riddle is solved, and the game has been won

You’ll never see night, because you are the sun!”

 

The box opened up and a small ball of light

Shot out through the ceiling and took off in flight

 

And it grew as it rose in a wonderful way

Til the sun filled the sky and changed night into day!

 

 

 

 

At the castle the King had a great celebration

With no gifts allowed, only pure jubilation

 

The wizard was jailed for his mischevious crime,

But the king let him out after one day of time

 

He was ordered to polish the shoes of the Queen,

Look after the horses, and mop the floors clean

 

When Michael walked by, he was greeted by cheers

They spoke of his greatness for years upon years

 

However, the duck, was not heard from again

The closest they found was an unpleasant hen

 

If you see him, this duck, with his colorful beak

I warn you, be wary of that which you speak!