Once upon a time in a far away land
Was a ruler whose kingdom was mighty and grand
Its castles were unmatched by any elsewhere
Yet the king he was bothered and in despair
Thus the king’s dilemma was not of war
But in a dim cave eight leagues down shore
Where dwelt a powerful, and distraught dragon
Who’d killed forty men and destroyed twelve wagons
Then it came, a man burst into his throne room
Proclaiming to him a message of doom
Saying the dragon had burnt half the town
And that the people seek aid from the crown
So the king told the people amidst their cries
He who brings the dragon’s head shall win the prize
Fifty thousand gold coins would be the reward
Along with an enchanted, magical sword
For a fortnight his offer was ignored
Until one day he heard a knock on his door
He called for his servants to let them come near
And in walked four knights who would volunteer
The first bowed down and said “I am Sir Reinard”
His face was grim and his forehead was scarred
He told the king that he and Sir Gregory
Would undertake this perilous journey
Along with Sir Sylvester and Sir Mallory
These four knights would collect the salary
The four knights set out with them did ferry
A boy named Felix, their supplies he would carry
They had been out for two days when they met
The earliest of many dangerous threats
A camp of hunters of the enemy kingdom
Attacked the brave knights before they had seen them
But Sir Mallory was quick to react
And launched a deadly counter attack
He stabbed through two and slashed one more
And the last one ran knowing he was done for

The knights regrouped and assessed their position
And planned a defense against further opposition
Reinard would lead them with Mallory trailing
And the flanks Sylvester would be surveilling
Sir Gregory would in the center mediate
With his bow and quiver ready in wait
That night they rested under a sheet
Of trees while they talked and enjoyed the heat
Of their small fire on which they were heating
The meal that they all soon would be eating
They talked of what they would do with their share
Unaware of the hardships that they would bear
“I contrive to voyage out of the state”
Said Reinard while the other four ate
“I shall buy a castle and herds of sheep”
Said Gregory later as they laid down to sleep
Before the sun rose they awoke with a fright
For walking toward them was a man of great height
But they soon found out that this was no man
For it was a great giant who guarded the land
When they saw his aggression they drew their swords
As it charged at them it drew his and roared
Right as the time of his attack was nigh
Gregory sent an arrow between his eyes
Falling to the ground he landed with a thud
Splattering the five with his spouting blood
The next three days were without event
When the group of five completed their ascent
To the dragon’s lair they finally came
From outside the cave they felt the flame
The four knights went in leaving Felix behind
To guard their possessions he was assigned
They furtively went in surrounding the beast
When a wave of flame his nostrils released
Mallory was burnt and fell to the ground
As he let out a painful wailing sound
The triad remaining they did not tarry
In fact what they did was on the contrary
All three charged in from different sides
After fierce fighting they pierced the dragon’s hide
The blow was strong but it was not fatal
But with a stab in the neck the dragon did fall
With the beast on the ground apparently dead
The three brave knights then chopped off its head.
They carried the head and Mallory’s cadaver
Out of the cave where the four would concur
That on a hill by the shadowy cave
Under a willow tree would be his grave
They buried poor Mallory and stayed that night
When Sylvester said bluntly and outright
“I’m not sad he fell for now that he’s dead,
His share among us we all can spread.”
Sir Gregory was angry and began to shout
That Sylvester was wrong and there was no doubt
Sylvester was agitated at being blamed
But after contemplation he was ashamed
Gregory went to bed still rather flustered
When Reinard and Sylvester exchanged a word
“Reinard my mind has devised a sly scheme.
I beg thee to listen although evil it seems”
“If we kill Gregory while he is sleeping
His share among us we will both be keeping.”
Reinard wanted nothing of this foul deed
But he finally was persuaded by greed
So they slit his throat while he was in bed
And from their guilt before daylight they fled
No words were exchanged on their return journey
Because tensions were high among the three
They each were fearful and did suspect
That their companion would potentially defect
With the kingdom in sight their worries grew
So in suspicion both their swords they drew
Afraid to hesitate and be the last to assail

They both lunged forward and began to flail
Their swords at the other when they both struck
The other’s heart by some ill placed luck
Looking at each other in shame that was returned
They both realized their tragic fate they earned
Felix, looking at the scene in appall
Began the promise of the king to recall
“He who brings the dragon’s head shall win the prize”
Realizing he’ll be rich unless the king lies
He runs to the palace along with the head
Of the dragon whose blood he did not shed
He cries, “King, King! The dragon I have slain!”
“Your promised reward I wish to obtain.”
Although surprised the king did not resist
And paid young Felix all he promised.
Excluding the knights who went on the endeavor
The Kingdom lived happily ever after