The Peon and the Ogre (A Cautionary Tale)

[Sadok]

The Peon and the Ogre (A Cautionary Tale)

The peon staggered down the road
With sweat upon his brow
At once he dropped his heavy load
“Me must take work-break now!”

The lazy peon closed his eyes
And before long he napped
When he woke, to his surprise
He found himself entrapped!

The peon began to cower
And wish himself long dead
The fierce captor, he did tower
High above the orc’s head.

The captor clutched his briarwood staff
Scratched his skin of ochre
His gut did jiggle as a laugh
Was laughed by this ogre.

The peon trembled and did say:
“Oh please, me just want past!
Me not the first to go this way
Nor will me be the last!”

“Be glad, peon,” the ogre spoke
“I offer liberty!
Your chains of service will be broke
And friend, you will be free.”

As the peon stood, quite affixed,
He began to listen
Fear and intrigue, his mind was mixed
Sweat began to glisten.

“Free from cruel masters’ command
And free from crack of whips
Free from the burning iron-brand!”
The ogre licked his lips.

“Do tell me more,” the peon asked
“Me like th’ sound of this!
Free from th’ work that I be tasked
Oh yes, that would be bliss!”

“Who thought th’ one that first me feared
Could relieve me of work!”
Upon the ogre’s lips appeared
A deep, dastardly smirk.

“That onto me you’ve stumbled,
You surely are quite blessed.”
The ogre’s stomach rumbled
“But now I must take rest.”

“I’ll tell you more within my hut,”
The ogre brought him there
And behind them the door he shut
“To keep out the cold air.”

The work-shy peon could not wait
“So how can me be free?”
The ogre laughed and took a plate
“Oh, it is quite easy.”

“You make with me a simple deal
And you’ll be free of strife
Agree to be my evening meal
And you’ll be free from life!”

The ogre’s smile turned to a sneer
He took his knife and fork
The peon’s eyes widened in fear
“Me not that kind of orc!”

“The door is shut, you cannot flee
No matter what you wish
It seems that you must stay for tea
And you will be the dish!”

What happened next, I cannot say
Save that the ogre fed
And fed he did on a buffet
Of skin-peel soup and bread!

You may work hard, work long you may
In life you might have least
But better to work all the day
Than be an ogre’s feast!

[Vashnarz]

As always Sadok amazing poems finally got around to reading it. Well done keep them coming