Paul Duerksen

The Happy Harper Paul Duerksen

King Orfeo of Winchester, England led a happy life. He and his wife, Heurodis, were skilled harp players and ruled their people justly. But one day his wife awoke from an unusual dream, and her cheerful personality was gone. The king, of course, wondered why she was so distraught. She explained that on a recent stroll through their orchard she had encountered a wicked wizard king and his knights. They told her to prepare to leave her husband to go and live with the wizard. The king mustered a large army to protect her, but he and all his men witnessed her sudden disappearance the next day. Unwilling to accept his loss, Orfeo abdicated his throne and went on a ten year long search for his lovely bride. By chance he found her among a group of falconers somewhere far from Winchester. By playing his harp for the wicked king he wins the boon of delivering Heurodis from her enslavement. When he brings her back to his manor, he receives a wonderful, eager welcome from his people. The story is drawn from an old anonymous Middle English poem. To develop this into narrative fiction I have taken some liberties with the plot. I hope all who read this will enjoy this fantasy adventure!