■よきウェンセスラス王-The Good King Wenceslas　

ウィルたちがミス・グレイソーンに唱った、クリスマス・キャロルの内の一曲。歌いながらウィルは扉を開けて1975年のグレイソーン館を訪れる。

ウェンセスラス王は１０世紀のチェコの君主で、善王として今でもチェコの民衆に愛されています。聖ウェンセスラスとして聖ヴァーツラフ(St.Vaclav)という名でも知られ、チェコの守護聖人としてプラハにはウェンセスラス王の銅像もあるそうです。ウェンセスラス王の伝承は、かなりの部分アーサー王伝説に似ています。

作詞：John Mason Neale 1853　曲は１３世紀頃に出来たキャロル
"Tempus Adest Floridum"(Spring has unwrapped her flowers)
　　　

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,
Underneath 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 thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went,
Forth they went together;
Thro' the rude wind's 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, good my page;
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted;
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.