Good King Wenceslas
Divers / Loreena McKennitt Lyrics

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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
Though 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 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 shall find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's step 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.

Overall Meaning

The song "Good King Wenceslas" is a classic Christmas carol that tells the tale of King Wenceslas who goes out into the cold night to help a poor man gather winter fuel. The king encourages his loyal page to join him on this journey, and together they brave the harsh winter conditions with the help of the king's footsteps that mark their path through the snow. The song emphasizes the importance of performing acts of kindness, even in the coldest and harshest of conditions.

The first verse of the song sets the scene on the Feast of Stephen, which is celebrated on December 26th, the day after Christmas. The snow is described as deep and even, accentuated by the moon's bright light. The king then spots a poor man gathering winter fuel and takes it upon himself to help. He commands his page to accompany him on this mission, and as they make their way through the fierce icy winds, the page gets cold feet, but the king reassures him by telling him to follow in his footsteps.

The song is based on a true story that took place in the 10th century, during the reign of Duke Wenceslas I, who was later canonized and became known as Saint Wenceslas. He ruled over Bohemia and was known for his generosity towards the poor. The popularity of the song can be attributed to its beautiful melody and inspiring message, which resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Line by Line Meaning

Good King Wenceslas looked out
The king, whose name is Wenceslas, peered outside

On the Feast of Stephen
During the holiday called Stephen's Day

When the snow lay 'round about
While the snow covered all around

Deep and crisp and even
The snow was thick, clear, and level

Brightly shone the moon that night
The moon was shining brightly that night

Though the frost was cruel
Despite the severe cold weather

When a poor man came in sight
When a destitute man came into view

Gath'ring winter fuel
Collecting wood for heating during winter

Hither, page, and stand by me,
Come here, assistant, and stay with me

If thou know'st it, telling
If you know, tell me

Yonder peasant, who is he?
Who is that commoner over there?

Where and what his dwelling?
Where does he live and what is his situation?

Sire, he lives a good league hence,
My lord, he lives some distance away

Underneath the mountain
Below the mountain

Right against the forest fence
Directly beside the fence of the forest

By Saint Agnes' fountain.
Close to the fountain dedicated to Saint Agnes

Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me meat and bring me liquor

Bring me pine-logs hither
Bring me pine wood here

Thou and I shall see him dine
You and I will watch him eat

When we bear them thither.
When we carry them there

Page and monarch, forth they went
The assistant and the king, they departed

Forth they went together
They ventured forth side by side

Through the rude wind's wild lament
Through the fierce wind's mournful cry

And the bitter weather.
And the severe weather conditions

Sire, the night is darker now
My lord, the night is now darker

And the wind blows stronger
And the wind is blowing harder

Fails my heart, I know not how
My heart is struggling, I am uncertain why

I can go no longer.
I cannot continue any longer

Mark my footsteps, good my page
Take note of my footprints, my good assistant

Tread thou in them boldly
Walk firmly in my footsteps

Thou shall find the winter's rage
You will experience the severity of winter

Freeze thy blood less coldly.
But your blood will not freeze as coldly

In his master's step he trod
He walked in his master's footsteps

Where the snow lay dinted
Where the snow was marked by footprints

Heat was in the very sod
There was warmth in the ground itself

Which the Saint had printed
Where the Saint had left his footprints

Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Hence, men who follow Christ, be certain

Wealth or rank possessing
Whether you are rich or of high status

Ye, who now will bless the poor
Those who now offer blessings to the destitute

Shall yourselves find blessing.
Shall receive blessings themselves.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JEREMY FREDERICK LANNING, JOHN M. NEALE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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