[This is an article from Cariadoc's Miscellany. The Miscellany is Copyright (c) by David Friedman and Elizabeth Cook, 1988, 1990, 1992. For copying details, see the Miscellany Introduction.]

The Royal Tale of Atlantia

(Mnemonic verses written for a contest of that kingdom)

Carissa, Queen of all the East,
With Michael gave our realm its throne-
And then, before their reign had ceased,
They won it back to be their own.

Now Anya is a queen most rare.
Bertrand full half his kingdom knows.
He can describe each lady fair-
But not the color of her clothes.

In floods of mead the benches drown
And great the glee of thirsty men
When Gyrth, great-gutted, takes the crown
And Melisande is queen again.

John and Tuiren have done more
Than ever lords of coast and sea-salt.
For they have ruled from shore to shore
Atlantia to Drachenwald.

Now Bedford's blade in fury falls
And for his foes 'tis death to find it.
Duke Michael is a moving wall
Carissa wholly hid behind it.

It was Sir Olaf, when he fought,
For Aslinn with his heart and hand,
Who by his skill and fortune brought
Atlantia's crown to southern land.

Now Richard Corwin for his Anne
Atlantia's crown has bravely won
He's just a good and faithful man
Who's doing as his knight has done.

Sir Knarlic, with a dragon blade,
Atlantia's knights has beaten down,
But conquered by Atlantian maid
He to Alexis brings the crown.

For Gyrth it is a gladsome day
To know he has such sturdy men;
Count Richard in the bloody fray
For Anne has won the crown again.

Sir Olaf, through the flood of foes,
His Aslinn spies above the fray,
And bold Tsuneo, dying, knows
The crown will not be his today.

Tsuneo keeps his Nyan Nyan near.
He has such skills as suit a knight,
Can fight with sword and bow and spear.
His concubine can read and write.

Some kings and queens for dress are known,
Others for how they plot and scheme
Since Claus for Cyffaith won the crown
Our sovereigns are a Melee team.


Webbed by Gregory Blount of Isenfir