The Ballad of John the Woodcutter

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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