Knights Three
Early Autumn, three knights, Aberardus, the bold, Clerebold, the brave, and Tyon, the young, rode into the village of Fair Meadows. The sun gleamed off their polished armor. They requested food and refreshment from the honorable folk, but no one had aught to spare. The village headsman spoke, “We were once a prosperous village with flourishing fields and livestock aplenty. But the fiery dragon, Pargai carried off our sheep. Next, the dreaded giant, Bumbledorf, seized our cattle. Even now the two fiends lurk nearby, ready to pounce again. We sought assistance from the enchantress, Genervra, to rid us of their nuisance, but we possessed nothing to give for her service. When we told her, she took offence that we would dare to bother her with nothing of value to offer her for her inconvenience. She proceeded to place a spell on our fields, causing them to wither. We are as you see us now, poor with nothing to offer.”
Aberardus, the oldest of the knights, spoke for the three. “We are valiant warriors fresh from battle. We will avenge you and require nothing but a hearty meal once we have subdued the villains. We go now, but will return. Farewell until then.” The knights turned their steeds and rode out of the village.
That night, the three crusaders stood on the hill overlooking Fair Meadows and surveyed the star-strewn heavens. A star of notable brilliance rose from the horizon to the center of the night sky directly above them. They gazed upon it for some time when it, descended toward them, transforming into a beautiful shining lady as her feet touched the earth.. “I am the star, Ringu,” she said. “I see you are noble knights and perceive you are on a noble quest. What are you about?”
Aberardus again spoke. “Oh, beautiful star, we have just returned from a glorious battle and sought relief from the people of Fair Meadows. Their hearts were willing, but they have nothing to give. A dragon, giant and enchantress have taken all that these good people possessed. We seek relief for them from these three foes.”
Ringu smiled, I know the village of which you speak, I long have shined fondly upon it while the villagers sleep. As a reward for your gallantry, I grant each of you a gift. Name your desires.”
Aberardus, not known to pass up opportunities asked for great wealth for with riches he’d have the resources to overcome any enemy. Clerebold requested power over men. Tyon, the youngest of the three, asked for wisdom.
“Your wishes are granted,” declared the star. “But, be forewarned, the wishes I grant are only as good as the character of their receivers, use your gifts wisely.” The three brave warriors gave no attention to these words, for surely, they thought, no one possessed greater character than each of them.
The following morning the knights continued their pursuit. They agreed it best for each to follow a separate foe. Aberardus traveled East to pursue the dragon while Clerebold sped South toward the abode of the enchantress. Meanwhile, Tyon trekked north in search of the giant.
The scorched trail of Pargai proved easy to follow. Aberardus arrived at his lair before midmorning with the flying lizard nowhere in sight. Heaps of his ill-gotten treasures littered the landscape outside the tunnel leading to his den. The noble knight marveled at the wealth of it all as gold, silver, and jewels sparkled in the morning sun.
“Ah,” said the knight. “Look at all this. The star has already granted my wish. With the dragon’s own treasure, I can hire an army to subdue the beast and still live in a palace at ease for the rest of my days, with servants to obey my every whim.” He spoke thus, because a dragon’s cursed hoard turns even the purest of hearts.
Lust for riches now turned Aberardus’s noble heart. He abandoned his quest and began scooping up treasures. He had laid quite a load onto his trusty steed when Pargai ventured from his den in all of his magnificence. The fiery dragon blew a cloud of smoke in the warrior’s direction. “And what, sir knight, is your business here, as if I don’t know?” he asked.
The armored warrior dropped a silver cup and grabbed his sword. “I have been sent to slay you in vengeance for the harm you have done to the village of Fair Meadows, but now that I see your magnificence and your great treasure I am ready to abandon this quest. Just let me part with what I have already packed on my steed and you will never see me again.”
Pargai let out a roar. “There is nothing I hate more than knights as greedy as me. I have a counter offer to your proposal. I’ll just eat you and keep all my treasure to myself.”
The dragon lunged and Aberardus managed to escape only by leaving all his armor and weapons behind. Wearing only his undergarments he fled into parts unknown. His wish for riches had been granted for a brief moment.
Pargai, angered that the knight had escaped returned to his den. “Oh, that I were years younger. A single knight would never have passed from me,” he roared. In fact, he gave out a roar so loud that the mountain over him trembled and collapsed upon the beast and his treasure. Thus, Aberardus’s quest proved successful even though he gained no benefit from it.
Meanwhile Clerebold tracked down the enchantress to her cottage deep in a tangled forest. He donned every talisman he possessed to ward off spells before cornering the wench. At her door he lifted his sword to strike her down. “This is for your curse on the village of Fair Meadows. May their meadows again be fair,” he said reasoning that a slain enchantress could not maintain her curse.
“Wait!” Genervra cried. “I perceive you are an ambitious knight. I can offer you a great army with which you can conquer kingdoms. I just ask you spare my life.”
While Clerebold’s charms protected him from the enchantress’s spells his pride left him vulnerable. He thought, Is this not the fulfilment of the star’s promise? I will be more powerful than anyone else in the land. “Alright enchantress,” he replied, “Do your best and I will let you live.” Then, he added for his conscience’s sake, “But first remove the curse from the village.”
Genervra’s face formed a crooked smile. “It is so, the village is released.” She waved a gnarled wand and calling out to the trees said, “Creatures of the forest. I call out to you. Become as men and follow this knight into battle.”
The forest trembled as trees and bushes transformed into soldiers armed for war. Genervra waved at the knight. “Go. You have your army. Go, conquer whomever you choose.”
It is beyond the scope of this tale to detail everything that followed, but suffice it for me to say Clerebold and his army invaded the peaceful kingdom of Pacifis where the knight set up his reign. Indeed, his subjects considered him the most powerful they had ever seen, but power does not come without pitfalls.
Clerebold became wary that schemers sought his crown. He heard whispers in his court and everywhere he went to the point that he became paranoid. One dark night he heard a scuffling at his door. “Oh, no!” he screamed. “They’ve come for me!” He fled from his bedchamber window and climbed down a rose trellis. Bleeding from multiple scratches, he sped away and never to be seen in that country again. When his manservant carrying a tray of snacks and meade, opened the door to the former knight’s chamber, he wondered where his king had gone.
Tyon, the third knight, discovered the camp of Bumbledorf the giant on a high mountain bordering the region. As he approached, the stench of decay stung the good knight’s nostrils. Carcasses from the giant’s recent meals lay strewn around the mouth of the villain’s enormous cave. Tyon, approached with a song on his lips, which immediately drew the brute’s attention.
“Why have you come?” asked the giant.
“I have come to exact vengeance for the fine folk of Fair Meadows,” declared the noble hearted knight.
“Well, I must admire your bravery, for you are open about your intentions,” responded Bumbledorf. “But is it bravery or is it foolishness? With one stomp of my foot, I have dispatched many like you.” With this statement the brute lunged toward the young knight who deftly dodged his charge. The muddleheaded giant so intent on destruction, took no notice of the cliff on which Tyon stood. As the dimwitted brute charged he stubbed his toe on a boulder at the precipice and tumbled to his ruin.
After the giant fell, the noble knight reasoned, So much for revenge, but what about the poor citizens of Fair Meadows? Is there anything here that can help ease their suffering? He searched the late brute’s lair for anything to bring the villagers. He found nothing until he stumbled over an object half buried outside Bumbledorf’s cave.
A pot of gold! I wonder if the lout knew this sat here. Perhaps this was not always a giant’s abode. Perhaps a dragon or even dwarfs used this cave. But however, this gold came here, I must use it for good.
He emptied the gold into his saddlebags and ventured to the nearest town. There he bought wagons which he filled with produce and seed. He used his last bit of treasure to buy livestock and hire herdsmen to drive them to Fair Meadows. The people received the gifts with joy.
The fame of the good knight spread throughout the land. The king of the realm heard and invited Tyon to join his court. So impressed by the young knight’s dedication and generosity, he anointed him his royal heir for he had none.
Tyon became renowned for his kindness and wisdom. When the old king died, Tyon ascended to the throne. He ruled wisely using his great wealth for the welfare of his people.
Ringu peered down from her lofty position in the sky and smiled for although two of the knights proved false one proved true and accomplished much good.