The Fight With The Dragon Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEFGFH BBIIJJCCKLMN OOPPQQRRBSBT OUDDBBVWXYXY ZZUUDDA2A2UUUU B2B2C2C2D2D2UUE2F2E2 F2 G2G2UUH2UUUUD2U A2A2F2F2I2I2U DUDD2 J2 UUUUD2D2UUUU A2A2UUUUUUUG2UG2 D2D2J2J2UUXXUUUU K2K2D2D2UUL2M2UUUU N2N2A2D2UUUUUG2UG2 UUD2D2A2A2UUD2UD2U A2A2A2A2O2O2QDUUUU P2P2D2D2D2D2UUUD2UD2 UUUUUUQK2Q2D2Q2D2 N2N2D2D2A2A2UUUUUU A2

Why run the crowd What means the throngA
That rushes fast the streets alongA
Can Rhodes a prey to flames then beB
In crowds they gather hastilyB
And on his steed a noble knightC
Amid the rabble meets my sightC
Behind him prodigy unknownD
A monster fierce they're drawing onE
A dragon stems it by its shapeF
With wide and crocodile like jawG
And on the knight and dragon gapeF
In turns the people filled with aweH
-
And thousand voices shout with gleeB
The fiery dragon come and seeB
Who hind and flock tore limb from limbI
The hero see who vanquished himI
Full many a one before him wentJ
To dare the fearful combat bentJ
But none returned home from the fightC
Honor ye then the noble knightC
And toward the convent move they allK
While met in hasty council thereL
The brave knights of the HospitalM
St John the Baptist's Order wereN
-
Up to the noble master spedO
The youth with firm but modest treadO
The people followed with wild shoutP
And stood the landing place aboutP
While thus outspoke that daring oneQ
My knightly duty I have doneQ
The dragon that laid waste the landR
Has fallen beneath my conquering handR
The way is to the wanderer freeB
The shepherd o'er the plains may roveS
Across the mountains joyfullyB
The pilgrim to the shrine may moveT
-
But sternly looked the prince and saidO
The hero's part thou well hast playedU
By courage is the true knight knownD
A dauntless spirit thou hast shownD
Yet speak What duty first should heB
Regard who would Christ's champion beB
Who wears the emblem of the CrossV
And all turned pale at his discourseW
Yet he replied with noble graceX
While blushingly he bent him lowY
That he deserves so proud a placeX
Obedience best of all can showY
-
My son the master answering spokeZ
Thy daring act this duty brokeZ
The conflict that the law forbadeU
Thou hast with impious mind essayedU
Lord judge when all to thee is knownD
The other spake in steadfast toneD
For I the law's commands and willA2
Purposed with honor to fulfilA2
I went not out with heedless thoughtU
Hoping the monster dread to findU
To conquer in the fight I soughtU
By cunning and a prudent mindU
-
Five of our noble Order thenB2
Our faith could boast no better menB2
Had by their daring lost their lifeC2
When thou forbadest us the strifeC2
And yet my heart I felt a preyD2
To gloom and panted for the frayD2
Ay even in the stilly nightU
In vision gasped I in the fightU
And when the glimmering morning cameE2
And of fresh troubles knowledge gaveF2
A raging grief consumed my frameE2
And I resolved the thing to braveF2
-
And to myself I thus beganG2
'What is't adorns the youth the manG2
What actions of the heroes boldU
Of whom in ancient song we're toldU
Blind heathendom raised up on highH2
To godlike fame and dignityU
The world by deeds known far and wideU
From monsters fierce they purifiedU
The lion in the fight they metU
And wrestled with the minotaurD2
Unhappy victims free to setU
And were not sparing of their gore '-
-
'Are none but Saracens to feelA2
The prowess of the Christian steelA2
False idols only shall be braveF2
His mission is the world to saveF2
To free it by his sturdy armI2
From every hurt from every harmI2
Yet wisdom must his courage bendU
And cunning must with strength contend '-
Thus spake I oft and went aloneD
The monster's traces to espyU
When on my mind a bright light shoneD
'I have it ' was my joyful cryD2
-
To thee I went and thus I spakeJ2
'My homeward journey I would take '-
Thou lord didst grant my prayer to meU
Then safely traversed I the seaU
And when I reached my native strandU
I caused a skilful artist's handU
To make a dragon's image trueD2
To his that now so well I knewD2
On feet of measure short was placedU
Its lengthy body's heavy loadU
A scaly coat of mail embracedU
The back on which it fiercely showedU
-
Its stretching neck appeared to swellA2
And ghastly as a gate of hellA2
Its fearful jaws were open wideU
As if to seize the prey it triedU
And in its black mouth ranged aboutU
Its teeth in prickly rows stood outU
Its tongue was like a sharp edged swordU
And lightning from its small eyes pouredU
A serpent's tail of many a foldU
Ended its body's monstrous spanG2
And round itself with fierceness rolledU
So as to clasp both steed and manG2
-
I formed the whole to nature trueD2
In skin of gray and hideous hueD2
Part dragon it appeared part snakeJ2
Engendered in the poisonous lakeJ2
And when the figure was completeU
A pair of dogs I chose me fleetU
Of mighty strength of nimble paceX
Inured the savage boar to chaseX
The dragon then I made them baitU
Inflaming them to fury dreadU
With their sharp teeth to seize it straightU
And with my voice their motions ledU
-
And where the belly's tender skinK2
Allowed the tooth to enter inK2
I taught them how to seize it thereD2
And with their fangs the part to tearD2
I mounted then my Arab steedU
The offspring of a noble breedU
My hand a dart on high held forthL2
And when I had inflamed his wrathM2
I stuck my sharp spurs in his sideU
And urged him on as quick as thoughtU
And hurled my dart in circles wideU
As if to pierce the beast I soughtU
-
And though my steed reared high in painN2
And champed and foamed beneath the reinN2
And though the dogs howled fearfullyA2
Till they were calmed ne'er rested ID2
This plan I ceaselessly pursuedU
Till thrice the moon had been renewedU
And when they had been duly taughtU
In swift ships here I had them broughtU
And since my foot these shores has pressedU
Flown has three mornings' narrow spanG2
I scarce allowed my limbs to restU
Ere I the mighty task beganG2
-
For hotly was my bosom stirredU
When of the land's fresh grief I heardU
Shepherds of late had been his preyD2
When in the marsh they went astrayD2
I formed my plans then hastilyA2
My heart was all that counselled meA2
My squires instructing to proceedU
I sprang upon my well trained steedU
And followed by my noble pairD2
Of dogs by secret pathways rodeU
Where not an eye could witness bearD2
To find the monster's fell abodeU
-
Thou lord must know the chapel wellA2
Pitched on a rocky pinnacleA2
That overlooks the distant isleA2
A daring mind 'twas raised the pileA2
Though humble mean and small it showsO2
Its walls a miracle encloseO2
The Virgin and her infant SonQ
Vowed by the three kings of CologneD
By three times thirty steps is ledU
The pilgrim to the giddy heightU
Yet when he gains it with bold treadU
He's quickened by his Saviour's sightU
-
Deep in the rock to which it clingsP2
A cavern dark its arms outflingsP2
Moist with the neighboring moorland's dewD2
Where heaven's bright rays can ne'er pierce throughD2
There dwelt the monster there he layD2
His spoil awaiting night and dayD2
Like the hell dragon thus he keptU
Watch near the shrine and never sleptU
And if a hapless pilgrim chancedU
To enter on that fatal wayD2
From out his ambush quick advancedU
The foe and seized him as his preyD2
-
I mounted now the rocky heightU
Ere I commenced the fearful fightU
There knelt I to the infant LordU
And pardon for my sins imploredU
Then in the holy fane I placedU
My shining armor round my waistU
My right hand grasped my javelinQ
The fight then went I to beginK2
Instructions gave my squires amongQ2
Commanding them to tarry thereD2
Then on my steed I nimbly sprungQ2
And gave my spirit to God's careD2
-
Soon as I reached the level plainN2
My dogs found out the scent amainN2
My frightened horse soon reared on highD2
His fear I could not pacifyD2
For coiled up in a circle loA2
There lay the fierce and hideous foeA2
Sunning himself upon the groundU
Straight at him rushed each nimble houndU
Yet thence they turned dismayed and fastU
When he his gaping jaws op'd wideU
Vomited forth his poisonous blastU
And like the howling jackal criedU
-
But soon their courage I restoA2

Friedrich Schiller



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