King Witlaf's Drinking-Horn
King Witlaf bequeaths his drinking-horn to the monks of Croyland so they will remember him and pray for his soul during their revels. At a Christmas gathering, they drink to him and Christian holy figures; when the abbot dies at midnight clutching the bowl, the monks continue drinking and call for a toast to one more saint.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Dark Humor · 368 words
First lines
Witlaf, a king of the Saxons, / Ere yet his last he breathed, / To the merry monks of Croyland / His drinking-horn bequeathed, --
That, whenever they sat at their revels, / And drank from the golden bowl, / They might remember the donor, / And breathe a prayer for his soul.
Genres
- Narrative Poetry — Ten rhymed quatrains recount a king's bequest, a Christmas drinking gathering, and the abbot's sudden death.
- Dark Humor — The monks answer their abbot's death by calling for more wine and another saint's toast.
Tags
Christmas · monks · drinking horns · religious toasts · sudden death · dark humor
What this Textopian page supports
King Witlaf's Drinking-Horn is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Dark Humor
- Length: 368 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for King Witlaf's Drinking-Horn by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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