In an ancient land in a distant time
A mighty Kingdom, free from crime
Prospered plenty as the people worked and laughed and played.
The strong, the brave, the wise the clean,
Were chosen by the King and Queen
To be the knights and soldiers who upheld the laws they made.

Across the searing desert sands
The Overlords of banished lands
Massed themselves together, the mighty Kingdom to invade.
Bands of thieves, cut-throats, raiders,
Armies of death - the Devil's Crusaders
So marched the evil soldiers - so came this fierce brigade!

The lookouts in the lookout steeple
Rang the bells to warn the people
As from the wide horizon came the raiders in their hordes.
Astride their beasts they came to plunder,
A thousand hoofbeats rang like thunder
Blending with the people's screams and clashing of their swords.

The bravest soldier, the boldest knight
Could never quell the awesome might
Of a thousand desert raiders as they stormed the castle walls.
Knights lay wounded, dying, dead,
Soon the people turned and fled,
The raiders were the victors, and to the victors go the spoils.

Deep within the dungeon's keep
In misty fog and darkness deep,
There came the distant ringing of a blacksmith at his forge.
Though up above the day was clear,
Down below was dark and drear,
Patiently Dan waits for the Smith to forge his sword.

In the streets the houses burn,
Mothers hide and Fathers yearn
For the bravest knight in all the land to come along.
Then as the Smithy's ringing ceases
Danny groans and his brow creases,
"I wanted a two handed sword, this broadsword's just all wrong!"

"A broadsword lad?" the Smithy cries,
"I've got one here, it's just your size"
And Danny grinned, knowing it had been there all the time.
"I must go now" said Danny boldly
"Pay me first!" the Smith said coldly,
A sack of coins changed hands and Danny said "This sword is mine!"

Left for dead by the enemy raiders
Carried below by the castle traders,
Dan had spent long days and nights within the dungeon's halls.
Now fighting fit with a new sword dangling,
Back through the castle Dan was angling
Eager to avenge those who had suffered within these walls.

The desert raiders celebrated,
For seven days, intoxicated,
Revelling in their victory while the people felt despair.
And though they offered some resistance
None were aware of Dan's existence
Until his cry of battle echoed loudly through the air!

With whistling sword he stabbed and coshed
Splitting heads like tomatoes squashed
And soon the raiders bodies made a carpet on the floor.
All night long Dan thrust and parried
Raider's souls, to Hell, were carried,
Inspired, the remaining Knights once more rallied to the fore.

The raiders found it quite surprising
That just one Knight caused this uprising,
A lesson for the raiders and the Kingdom's saving grace.
All around were people cheering,
Fathers frowned at Daughters leering,
At the one and only Knight who saved the Kingdom's face.

With the last of the raiders locked away,
The Lords took counsel on this day
For none could bring themselves to announce the King had died.
"But Lords" said Dan, "The Queen does mend him
Like any Wife, she lives to tend him,
Deep beneath the dungeon's keep she nursed the King and I!"

The news spread fast, the King survived,
Across the land new hope revived
And as their time of mourning passed they looked to brighter days.
To evil-doers far and wide
Heed this warning - STAY OUTSIDE!
For here within this kingdom lives a legend - Dan the Brave!