John was a woodcutter
He did nobody harm
Every day he cut his wood
And kept his cottage warm
And kept his cottage warm
Deep in the midwinter
Just before the dawn
The trees creaked as the wind whipped up
Its passion for the storm
But inside, it was warm
But John slept on, regardless
Of the horrendous morn
He’d gathered wood from far and wide
To weather any storm
To keep his cottage warm
The wind blew long and violent
The rain raged down with scorn
Lightning flashed, and thunder cracked
It was a hellish storm
But inside it was warm
It worsened, and it worsened
But John was not forlorn
Outside his cottage he could see
The havoc of the storm
But inside he was warm
He sat there with his porridge
His bread, his simple corn
But John was sad, he wished he had
Someone to share his corn
Someone to share the warm
Go out! Go out!
Go out! Whispered the wind.
Breathed the wind.
So John put on his overcoat
And opened his rough door
He shivered as he staggered fast
Enveloped by the storm
But inside it was warm
He could not see the woodpath
The rain had lashed it all
Through mud he trudged, he knew not where
His steps would take him on
But they would take him on
Come here! Come here!
Sang the wind
Beckoned the wind
The rage and rain and thunder
Made John’s face red and raw
His back was bent, but on he went
Toward the wind god’s call
It was the wind god’s call
The wind god blasted, angry
That John could stand at all
For years the god had tried to blow
John’s house away, but no
The house stood proud and tall
And inside it was warm
John was weak and hungry
And lost inside the storm,
But he buttoned his overcoat
And inside he was warm
His coat would keep him warm
Dusk fell; the wood bruised blackly
Sprites danced, and cackling called
Across the dark, foreboding night
Ungodly noises all
The soundtrack to a storm
The wind god blew in thrall
Lay down, lay down
Said the wind
ordered the wind
Underneath an oak tree
John fell, discomfort raw
He had to sleep, he could not keep
His journey evermore
His tiredness was his all
Exhaustion made him fall
The wind god smiled, victorious
As if the game was won;
But John had closed his overcoat
And, buttoned, he was warm
He dreamt he was at home
Cause inside it was warm
And in his dream he saw her
As always he had thought
He knew her name, but not her face
He dared not look at her
In case she disappeared
He trembled in his fear
His arms reached out toward her
But, laughing, she ran off
John gave a frown, a tear ran down
His cheek, unkissed and rough
It was his lonely lot
But inside he was warm
The storm roared all around him
A wind god’s tantrum fought
To wake John up, but still he slept
Searching for his love
If ever she would come
To fill his heart with warmth
Wake up! Wake up!
Shouted the wind
Screamed the wind
John awoke, in pitch black
Surroundings, as if born
And as he yawned, in front of him
Trembled a tiny fawn
It shivered and it called
In need of hope and warm
John cried once more, with sadness
At this poor creature’s pain
And tenderly he opened up
His coat as round it rained
And beckoned to the fawn:
Inside this coat is warm
He held the creature closely
Protected from the storm;
“Tonight,” he said, “the two of us
Will keep each other warm
For inside it is warm
My coat will keep us warm.”
The wind god raged and blustered
This would not do at all
With mighty effort he blew direct
Onto John and the fawn
They kept each other warm
But vicious was the storm
I hate you, I hate you
Spat the wind
Hated the wind
And suddenly, the mighty force of the wind found a weakness
For John had opened his coat and he could not button it back tightly
The fawn, restored, skipped away from the raging wind
And the wind god had his prize as he blew John’s coat to the furthest corner of the forest
John shivered as he slept, and in his dream his love was also gone as the storm came to its head and danced death upon the forest
John woke, exhausted, hungry
With fever from the storm
He could not walk, he could not sit
His bones were fused and torn
His body racked and worn
His tears horror-borne
Delirious and dying
He shouted and he called
But no-one came, they were all safe
And sheltered from the storm
Keeping their families warm
Sleep death, sleep, death
Cackled the wind
Croaked the wind
John closed his eyes, defeated
And ready to move on
He made his peace with god and man
Ready to breathe his last
He felt his time had past
But suddenly light flashed
He knew not if he lived or died
Or if it night or morn,
Somehow he opened up his eyes
To see the lovely fawn
Who’d come back through the storm
For he had kept her warm.
She spoke to him, voice crystal
Like fresh dew was her song
“You must take your axe,” she said
“And kill me for my warmth,
My fur will keep you warm
My meat will spur you on.”
John said, “But I have saved you.
I cannot kill you now;
Leave me to die, it is my time
But you are young and strong
And life will carry on.”
The fawn said, “John, you do know
That this is fair and just
You must not think me dead,” she said
“So do just what you must -
Remember me at dusk
Remember me at dusk.”
So John struck once, and it was done; and the wind dropped forever
But the skies broke, and rain lashed down, deep and prismic. There seemed to hold a thousand nights of sadness in each single raindrop
John ate of the fawn’s meat, crying with every mouthful
Then he skinned the fawn and fashioned a coat
And trudged off back to his heavy-fashioned, sturdy cottage with the woodpile by the fire, and he fell into sleep
John, John
Whispered the wind
John, I am sorry
Breathed the wind
John dreamt of love and magic
And sharing warmth and corn
His love came back, and he looked up
And saw her eyes were warm
The eyes of John’s dead fawn
She smiled and spoke with crystal
A dewdrop in the sun
“I always loved you too,” she said
“But I could never come
For I am not the one.
“My father is the wind god
My mother is the storm
One night I had on this green earth
Disguised as a poor fawn
And John, you kept me warm.”
“And now you must not dally
Tomorrow you must go
To town, and find yourself someone
To share your life and love
Someone to share your warm.”
“But one thing I will tell you
Is when it’s said and done
Let love be your overcoat
And it will keep you warm
And always you’ll be warm.”
And with that she was gone
Her song was fully sung
Inside his heart was warm
Inside his heart was warm
Thank you, thank you
Said the wind
Cried the wind
And when he awoke the next day he skipped into town on the wings of a caressing breeze
He stopped by a tavern, and heard voices and laughter
And as he peered into the unfamiliar heady haze he caught the eye of a maiden
“Hello” she said, in a voice as crystal clear as the dew, “What’s your name?”
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