Little Engel: A Ballad; With a Series of Epigrams from the Persian

In a medieval world torn between loyalty and betrayal, a young knight named Little Engel defies the uncle who murdered his father to reclaim his stolen bride. The narrative unfolds with the visceral urgency of the oldest ballads: Engel and his beloved Malfred flee to a church for sanctuary, hunted by Sir Godey Loumand and his men, their love suspended between desperate hope and certain doom. When overwhelming forces close in, Engel must summon not just his blade but his wits, rallying comrades and securing an alliance with the Danish King for a final confrontation that will rewrite his family's bloody history. Yet what elevates this early 20th-century ballad beyond simple revenge tale is its unusual structure. Interspersed throughout the action are epigrams drawn from Persian literature, lending the work an unexpected philosophical depth. These fragments of Eastern wisdom comment on love, mortality, and the cost of vengeance, creating a dialogue between the West's chivalric tradition and the contemplative East. The poem concludes not with triumphant fanfare but with elegy and reflection, mourning what was lost even as it celebrates what was won. For readers who crave the raw emotion of traditional ballads but hunger for something more intellectually nourishing, this is a forgotten gem that rewards attention.