The Traveler from Aureliana

By: Aragrym Posted on: April 25, 2004

One fine day that surely passed,

Not so long ago

I wandered through a peaceful wood

Without a worry of where to go

Slowly I passed through the merry wood

Seeing birds chirp and take to flight

But in the center of this stood

A subtle but sound and definite blight

Standing there on the side of the road

A wanderer garbed in travel-stained robes

Stood, and looking the worse for wear

I asked him how he did so fare

"Friend," he said in a weary voice

"Might you have some coin to spare?"

He seemed to have fallen on troubled times

And he looked the worse for traveling there

Feeling of spirit kind that day

I reached in my pack without delay

And took from it a meager array

Of fifty golden coins

"Here you are, fair traveler,

This should send you on your way;

I bid you farewell and also hope

To meet you again another day."

Turning then with a flare of my cloak

I started off to be from there

But under the shade of ancient oak

I sensed that something was not so fair

From the darkness came a few;

Bandits, by the looks of them

So quickly they came that before I knew

They had dragged me away and battered me too

And in my last moments there stared from above

The traveler, having dismissed his disguise;

I vow that I shall never forget

How he stole of my kindness yet looked in my eyes...