You may or may not be familiar with this old carol of the Christmastime. It is not about Christ and His birth, but about the good done by a Christian king. It takes place on the second day of the twelve days of Christmas. That would be the Feast of Stephen, December 26. The poem was written by John M Neale in the 1800s'. It is matched with a tune going back almost a thousand years. It is a made-up story about a King who had a short reign of five years. He was murdered by his own brother. Wenceslas was a practicing Christian. His Mother and brother were pagans. He had a godly grandmother who taught him the ways of Christ. He was given to doing things like the carol suggests. The last verse pictures a miracle happening as the snow is melted by the king's footprints as he leads a Page of his in a mission of mercy. Take a moment to read this poem.
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel.
When a poor man came in sight, gath-'ring winter fuel.
"Hither page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, under-neath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine. Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine when we bear them hither".
Page and Monarch, forth they went, forth they went together,
Through the rude winds wild lament, and the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart,I know not how I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good Page, tread thou in them boldly,
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze the blood less coldly."
In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dent-ed,
heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.
John M Neale