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, 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.
This popular Christmas Carol, written by Anglican priest J. M. Neale in 1853, is known all over the
world. In UK, it is connected with Boxing Day, as it promotes charitable giving. It tells the story of
King Wenceslas going on a journey to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen
(December 26). During the journey, his page almost gives up the struggle against the cold weather,
but he is able to continue when he follows the king's footprints through the deep snow. What is
the story behind this carol? Who was King Wenceslas?
King Wenceslas is a real personality from Czech history. In the Czech language he is called Václav
/va:tslav/, and is, in fact, the patron saint of the Czech nation. Wenceslas lived in 10th century and
became Duke of Bohemia, the leader of the country, in 924 or 925, when he was about 18. Legends
see him as a good and pious ruler. He founded a rotunda consecrated to St. Vitus at Prague Castle
where the present St. Vitus Cathedral stands.
In 935, Wenceslas was killed by his own brother´s order, just as he was entering a church.
Immediately after his death, he was seen as martyr a saint and a cult of Wenceslas grew up in
Bohemia and in England. The chronicler Cosmas of Prague wrote in 12 century:
…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.
If you go to Prague today, you can see St. Wenceslas equestrain
statue in the centre of the city, on St. Wenceslas Square (Václavské
náměstí). The Czechs celebrate St. Wenceslas Day on October 28, but they sing no Christmas Carols
about him.
(K.B.)
Here is a lively version of Good King Wenceslas by The Irish Rovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5E8CXQwtrg
You may know this version by Hugh Grant from the film Love, Actually.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4-35TN6Amwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M435TN6Amw