Twas spring in the Crossing,
A fair time of year
When friends from far places
Return and draw near
To gather, to celebrate
Another winter survived,
And to toast their lost comrades
Who have lain down their lives.

The knights here had gathered
In the Paladin's Hall
To boast of their feats
And dance at the Ball
In their best polished armor,
Their blades near at hand,
In their arrogance thinking
They were the strength of the land.

And as the music did play,
While the fair maidens sang,
The hall doors burst open
And an odd sound there rang
As a mail glove came crashing,
Thrown upon the stone floor,
And a great giant strode through
What remained of the doors.

Standing near seven feet tall,
Dressed from head to toe in black mail,
He was such an ominous sight
That most there did pale.
In his great burly arms
A wicked double blade axe.
Every dancer and servant
Stopped dead in their tracks.

He strode into the hall,
To the great dias here,
And all that were gathered
In their hearts did know fear.
His gaze did cross over
Each knight in the room.
Then at last he did speak,
His voice like thunder's boom

"Knights of the land,"
He said with a sneer,
"I come with a challenge
To you who claim not to know fear,
To you who are tasked
With safeguarding the Realm.
I call coward and craven -
In your tasks you have failed."

"I do challenge all here,
Any so stupid - or bold,
To take up my gaunlet
And trade blows, till it's told
Whether the strength that you brag of
Does truly exist
Or is but high minded blabber
That fades like the mist."

And in the great hall
The silence was deafening -
For not a soul moved
As the challenge was fading -
And the great man did sneer
And cried, "I thought it was such!
That the much-bragged-of knights
Were but cowards who clutch
To the hems of the apron
Their mothers do wear.
Not a one here among you has heart
To peak into Death's Lair."

And as the man stood there laughing,
A new sound there came
As the gauntlet was lifted,
Beginning the game
In the hands of a squire,
A mere lad of eighteen,
But in his eyes, in his countenance,
His strength could be seen.

"Strength with honor," the lad whispered
As he gazed at the knight,
"Means not flinching at times
When called to do what is right,
Whether avenging a death
That was wrought most unfairly
Or accepting a challenge of honor
That costs one most dearly,
For a life without honor,
'Tis no life at all.
So let us trade blows
Till Death issues its call."

And to the Hall's great surprise
The giant did chuckle,
And his voice it did soften,
His thumbs tucked in his buckle.
"Strength with Honor, my lad,
This lesson you've learned.
But not from those here,
Who their honor have spurned"

"Honor is puchased
In each word, in each deed.
Your worth you have proven -
All you cravens, take heed!
This boy, this mere squire,
Learn from him well,
For Strength with Honor
In his heart, it does dwell."

"For if you would call yourselves
Knights of the Land,
You must do more than kill -
You must lend your hand
To those who are wronged,
To those who are weak.
Be their protectors -
If Strength in Honor you seek.
For it is strength of the heart,
Not strength of the hand,
That makes the distinction
Between a boy and a man."

And with a gleam in his eye,
He clapped the lad on the back,
Then strode from the hall
Out into the black.
And from that day, they say,
Strength with honor was seen
As True Knights of the Realm
They did strive to be deemed.