Good King Wenceslas
Mikhail Gantvarg Carmen Piazzini & St. Petersburg Soloists Lyrics
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On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know 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 the 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.
Ark my footsteps my good page,
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master's step he trod,
Where the snow lay dented.
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
The lyrics of "Good King Wenceslas" tell the story of a King named Wenceslas who, on the day after Christmas known as the Feast of Stephen, notices a poor man gathering wood in the snow outside his castle. Despite the harsh winter conditions, King Wenceslas is moved with compassion and decides to bring food, wine, and logs to the man to help him stay warm and fed. He enlists his page to accompany him on this mission of charity.
The lyrics highlight the contrast between the warmth and comfort within the castle, illuminated by the moon, and the harshness of the winter outside where the poor man is struggling. King Wenceslas's act of kindness and generosity towards the poor man reflects a spirit of compassion and caring for those in need, which is a central theme in the song.
As King Wenceslas and his page brave the bitter weather to reach the poor man, the page expresses doubt and fear due to the worsening conditions. However, King Wenceslas reassures him to follow in his footsteps and trust in his guidance to endure the cold. The imagery of the footsteps in the snow symbolizes the idea of following the example of a benevolent leader in order to overcome challenges and difficulties.
The lyrics conclude with a moral lesson, urging Christian men to emulate King Wenceslas's act of kindness towards the poor and to remember that in blessing others, they too shall receive blessings. This message reinforces the idea that acts of kindness and compassion towards those less fortunate can lead to personal fulfillment and spiritual rewards. Overall, "Good King Wenceslas" is a timeless tale of charity, empathy, and the importance of helping those in need, resonating with audiences through its poignant storytelling and moral teachings.
Line by Line Meaning
Good King Wenceslas looked out
A wise and kind ruler surveyed his surroundings
On the feast of Stephen
During a time of celebration and joy
When the snow lay round about,
While the blanket of snow covered the land
Deep and crisp and even.
Thick, fresh, and smooth all around.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
The moon's light was particularly strong
Though the frost was cruel,
Despite the harsh cold
When a poor man came in sight,
A less fortunate individual appeared
Gathering winter fuel.
Collecting materials for warmth
Hither, page, and stand by me.
Come here, assistant, and stay close
If thou know it telling:
If you are aware, share with 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 life like?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Sir, he resides a fair distance away
Underneath the mountain,
Beneath the mountain's shadow
Right against the forest fence
Directly beside the woodland barrier
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Near the fountain dedicated to Saint Agnes
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Obtain meat and wine for me
Bring me pine logs hither.
Fetch pine logs to this location
Thou and I will see him dine
You and I will watch him eat
When we bear the thither.
As we carry these provisions over
Page and monarch, forth they went,
The assistant and the ruler set off
Forth they went together
They traveled in each other's company
Through the rude wind's wild lament
Despite the harsh, angry howling of the wind
And the bitter weather.
In the midst of harsh, unforgiving conditions
Sire, the night is darker now,
Sir, the night has grown even darker
And the wind blows stronger.
While the wind blows more fiercely
Fails my heart, I know not how.
My courage weakens, I cannot explain why
I can go no longer.
I am unable to continue
Ark my footsteps my good page,
Follow in my footsteps closely, my loyal assistant
Tread thou in them boldly:
Step confidently in my path
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
You will discover that the winter's fury
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
Will not chill you as much
In his master's step he trod,
He followed exactly where his ruler had walked
Where the snow lay dented.
Tracing the footprints left in the snow
Heat was in the very sod
The ground seemed warmer
Which the saint had printed.
Where the benevolent person had walked
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
So, followers of Christ, make certain
Wealth or rank possessing,
If you hold wealth or power
Ye who now will bless the poor
Those who show kindness to the less fortunate
Shall yourselves find blessing.
Will also receive blessings in return
Lyrics © Starshine Music, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TONY ALLEN, DONIE CASSIDY, MICK FOSTER, JOHN MASON NEALE, UNKNOWN COMPOSER AUTHOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@garyrodd4791
I find this Christmas carol to be of special meaning to me...Growing up in poverty, we did not have the luxury of material gifts, but we shared the Holiday spirit by sharing the spirit of family and food we normally could not afford.. such as cranberry/orange relish, turkey & stuffing & home made apple jack made by my father...Christmas was more about the meal we created than giving gifts..
@TheCallumw100
I looked it up and according to history Wenceslas did exist he was the duke of Bohemia and went round giving the poor, orphaned widowed and imprisoned gifts at evening.
@frantisekbuchta8902
I am from the Czech Republic and I think it is amazing how our history has penetrated even to England. We have really interesting history.
But I have some remarks:
1. St. Wenceslas (Václav I.) was a duke not a king, we had some kings, but they were kings until their death, so on succesion title was lost. That changed in year 1212 with document known as "Golden Bull of Sicily" (Zlatá bula Sicilská) which granted title of king even to descendants.
2. He is very controversial character of our history. Despite he was declared as saint, because he was very good Christian, some people and historians says that he didnt care about destiny of Bohemia in case of East Francia´s pressure on borders. But who knows, it is over thousand years ago, but legend about St. Wenceslas is immortal!
@ToddSF
The "Feast of Stephen", for those who might not know, is St. Stephen's Day, December 26, one of the "Twelve Days of Christmas". This carol is associated with December 26, since "Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen". It's not a Christmas carol, but associated with the Christmas season nonetheless. One strange thing is the tune, which is taken from a Latin spring carol "Tempus adest floridem" which is all about springtime being the time when flowers bloom again. I've known "Good King Wenceslas" (who was actually a Duke during his lifetime) in this carol for so long, I can't think of the tune as a springtime song. I note that after his assassination at age 27 by his younger brother, Wenceslas the Duke was posthumously declare a King by the Pope as well as a saint, and the Duchy of Bohemia became the Kingdom of Bohemia, with Kings in charge ever after. Today, of course, most of Bohemia lies within the borders of the Czech Republic, also called Czechia, and St. Wenceslas is the patron saint of the Czechs. I wouldn't call this carol a hymn because it is never sung in church and, instead, it's a narrative that tells a story about a miracle associated with an act of charity, ending with a moral that instructs Christians to be charitable, because in giving to those in need, the giver will find a blessing.
@bowtiesarecool91011
The words were by an English guy.
The music's Scandanavian.
Wenceslas was five foot six.
He kept his face unshaven.
Though just a Duke throughout his life,
he always ruled so justly.
His kingly title was conferred
upon him posthumously.
@BeingRomans829ed
Learned this song for the Christmas play when I was a child over 40 years ago.
Still remember every word.
Brings back memories. Thanks for uploading.
Merry Christmas!
@aalennn1
God bless :)
@marendenison3391
“But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion, no one doubts that, rising every night from his noble bed, with bare feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched.”
- Cosmas of Prague, about the reign of Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, a.k.a. Good King Wenceslaus.
@smittysmeee
+Maren Denison Neat! Thank you for sharing this!
@smittysmeee
christopher snedeker Nope, if you listen to the lyrics beginning at 2:17, the line begins: "Mark my footsteps good, my page, tread thou in then boldly," meaning that the page ought to step carefully (i.e. "mark well") in his king's footprints, not that he is a "good page."