The highwayman

Or the curse of the silent road

Once there was on the silent road Traveler's Inn where sorrow took its lead. There in the middle of the lonely woods grew a rose, the landlord's daughter. Bess was her name with dark, vivid eyes!

One moonless night they heard a sound from the silent road - what then happened, a lonely man came riding to the Inn.

A lonely soul who they called the highwayman!

The dark eyed Bess gave him her heart and he too shared his love for her.

Love until the death they swore to each other but before he had the chance to take her with him - the men of King came to the inn at the time when he was not there.

They drank and looked at her, dark Bess, the landlord's daughter. And they stole everything they got in their hands but not Bess because she stood firmly on their way. 'What would the King say?' her dark eyes looking out on the road. But the road was silent - where was he?

'Well my pretty flower', one of them said, 'we know that he has been here. And we have a plan - to shot the highwayman!' Then they tied her up - with a loaded gun! And they mocked her, said that if she warned him, she would be dead too.

Poor Bess! What to do? In awyway he was doom to die and what for her? Something much worse. And when she heard the sound from the silent road - then she made her choice.

An awful voice echoed through the night! The landlord's daughter, dark eyed Bess - pushed the trigger and so warned her loved one! He found her dead, lying on the floor, so was gone sweet Bess.

The men of King then surrounded him - his head resting on his hands, beside of her. Then he broke the silent - the curse of the silent road!

'You fools! ' he cursed them with his oath, 'you took my only reason to stay, and you thought that you had won but be sure of this, before end of the day, your souls will be black as hell and the ground at your feet red as day!'

Then he strike down those who had made a joke of her and fiery fire was in his eyes. But there were too many of them and they shot him to that place!

He fell down beside Bess.

Time after time on moonless nights they ride again, Bess and her loved one.

Author's Note

This story has its inspiration in the poem The Highwayman written by Alfred Noyes and in the song
The Highwayman - Loreena Mckennit.

Reviews

[Chris]

I know and recognize "both". There are spelling glitches - of course, but the "sense" of the correct word shone through. If English spelling seems to be an issue - most of today's word processors have a flag and correct process that can help. The main problem seems to be when the incorrect spelling is another word all in itself. Sometimes a grammar program will resolve such - but when nothing else works what is a lone author to do?

[~Sarah~ Idríel The Fair]

Good point. Thanks for reading and comment.

[h d e rushin]

in highschool Mr. Wallace made me stand before the class and recite Alfred Noyes' "The Highwayman". In fact , unbeknownst to me, it was the early beginning to my love of poetry. "The highwayman came marching, marching, marching, King Georges men came marching up to the old end door" I would recite, knees shaking and my friends shooting spit balls at my face. Your story was just as endearing but unlike Noyes poem, the poet tried to convey that her beauty, as well as it's mythology, can be confined in the thin pellicle layers of a long red hairdo / even in the 18th century where women's full bodies were the real desire of men.....hair was only spiritually good. Whatever! A marvelous tell by you my friend. dana

[~Sarah~ Idríel The Fair]

Many thanks to you.

[Coyote Poetry]

Dear Sarah. I loved the complete story. You create strong character and amazing story line. I did like the ending. The lovers are still riding together. Thank you for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote

[~Sarah~ Idríel The Fair]

My many thanks to you.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Sarah.

[alanwgraham]

You have the basis of a good fairy story here Sarah. I must just say that you have quite a bit of proof reading to do. I always spend time on this and it can be tough picking up your own slips. A couple I noticed were strike should be struck and silence for silent. Just read through it for sense and pick slips up. Good luck!
Alan