John Larrysson Column: Good King Wenceslas (2)
What is the meaning of the words? (First Half)
文章日期:2015年12月16日

The song Good King Wenceslas is popular at Christmastime. However many Hong Kong people do not fully understand the meaning of the song. Last week I explained who Wenceslas was. This week I will explain some of the more difficult words in the first-half of the song. Next week, I will explain the rest of the song.

What do the words mean? The first time a difficult or confusing word is used in the song, I will explain it.

[audio 1]

 

Good King Wenceslas

 

Good King Wenceslas looked out (... of his window),

on the Feast of Stephen,

 

The Feast of Stephen is on the 26th of December, the day after Christmas. It is called Boxing Day in England. The day is a public holiday in Hong Kong.

 

When the snow lay round about,

deep and crisp and even;

 

The top of snow is often “crisp” or slightly harder than the snow underneath, because it is warmed during the day and cooled again at night. As a young boy I could walk on this hard top layer. My parents' feet broke through.

 

[audio 2]

Brightly shone the moon that night,

tho' (although) the frost was cruel (very cold and uncomfortable),

When a poor man came in sight,

gathering winter fuel (looking for wood to burn for heat).

"Hither (come here), page (high-status young, male servant), and stand by (beside) me,

 

The word hither is a preposition meaning to here, in this line it is used as an imperative, come here. Later in the song it is used with the verb bring.

 

if thou (the old singular of you) know'st (know) it, telling,

 

This line means: If you know the answer, tell me. Know'st / Knowest is a second-person singular present tense of know that is no longer used.

 

[audio 3]

Yonder (that over there) peasant (slave-farmer), who is he?

Where and what his dwelling?" (Where does he live?)

"Sire, he lives a good (full) league (about 5 1/2 kilometres) hence (away from here),

 

Sire is a term of respect used for a king. It literally means father. The definition of measurements such as miles and leagues varied greatly in historical times.

 

underneath the mountain;

 

This use of underneath means near the mountain or under the mountain's shadow – He does not live in a cave.

 

Right against the forest fence,

 

The page is saying that it is very far away, next to the edge of the forest.

 

Next week I will finish the song.

[audio 4]

by John Larrysson

[email protected]

A native English speaker who has been teaching practical English in Hong Kong for over two decades.

Good King Wenceslas? (1) - Who was Good King Wenceslas? (2015-12-09)

Good King Wenceslas

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,

gathering 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 shall see him dine,

when we bear them thither. "

Page and monarch,

forth they went,

forth they went together;

Through 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.

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