Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas is a Christmas Carol that we often sing at this time of year.  It tells the story of a king’s journey through some harsh winter weather.  

The king notices a poor man from the tower of his castle during the Feast of Stephen.  The king and his page are gathering fuel as they travel through the snow-covered hills and valleys to reach the man who lives in the forest.  The king stops to give the man food and the firewood he needs to survive the cold winter.  

King Wenceslas was actually Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia who lived from c.907 to 935.  He was a pious and generous ruler who promoted Christianity and helped the poor.  The Czech people remember Wenceslaus as a symbol of generosity, justice, and good will. 

Since 1993 Bohemia has formed much of the Czech Republic.  It is in the western region of the Czech Republic.  Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic is located in this region.

The lyrics to “Good King Wenceslas” were written in 1853 by John Mason Neale.  The melody to the carol was adapted from a 13th-century carol, “Tempus adest dloridum”.  

The story takes place on Saint Stephen’s Day celebrated on December 26 in Western Christianity and on December 27 in Eastern Christianity.  We call Saint Stephen’s Day Boxing Day because in the early Christian era alms boxes were placed in churches to collect special offerings related to the Feast of Saint Stephen.

Here are the lyrics to this carol.  We would often sing this in parts.  Everyone would sing the narrator’s part - verses 1, 2, 6, 9 and 10.  The men would sing the King’s part - verses 3, 5, and 8, while ladies would sing the page’s part - verses 4 and 7.

1 Good King Wenceslaus looked out        2 Brightly shone the moon that night,

   On the feast of Stephen,                             Though the frost was cruel, 

   When the snow lay round about              When a poor man came in sight,

   Deep and crisp and even;                           Gath'ring winter fuel.

3 "Hither, page, and stand by me,           4 "Sire, he lives a good league hence, 

    If thou know'st it, telling                            Underneath the mountain;

    Yonder peasant, who is he?                      Right against the forest fence,

    Where and what his dwelling?"              By Saint Agnes' fountain." 

5 "Bring me flesh, and bring me wine,    6 Page and monarch, forth they went, 

    Bring me pine logs hither:                        Forth they went together;

    Thou and I will see him dine,                   Through the rude wind's wild lament 

    When we bear them thither."                  And the bitter weather.

7  "Sire, the night is darker now,              8 "Mark my footsteps, my good page.

    And the wind blows stronger;                  Tread thou in them boldly:

    Fails my heart, I know not how;               Thou shalt find the winter's rage

    I can go no longer."                                     Freeze thy blood less coldly." 

9 In his master's steps he trod,               10 Therefore, Christian men, be sure, 

   Where the snow lay dinted;                      Wealth or rank possessing,

   Heat was in the very sod                            Ye who now will bless the poor,

   Which the Saint had printed.                    Shall yourselves find blessing.

The message of this carol is found in the last verse.  When we bless others, we find we receive a blessing too.  Go and be a blessing to someone today.

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