{
 "id": "henry-van-dyke-jr/the-vain-king",
 "title": "The Vain King",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Henry van Dyke Jr.",
 "poet_slug": "henry-van-dyke-jr",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "The Poems of Henry Van Dyke",
 "book_slug": "poems",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 33,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1920,
  "venue": "The Poems of Henry Van Dyke (1920)",
  "note": "Taken from the 1920 collected edition. That is the printing this text comes from, not the poem's first appearance: the volume gathers work published from 1897 onward, and which earlier book or magazine printed this poem first has not been established here.",
  "uncertain": true,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofhenryvand00vandrich"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/henry-van-dyke-jr_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
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   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16134",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10679",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3525",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9372",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29314",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43094",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofhenryvand00vandrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/buildersotherpoe00vandrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/toilingoffelixan00vandiala",
   "https://archive.org/details/musicotherpoems0000henr_c7v6",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsnowfirstcol00vanduoft",
   "https://archive.org/details/songsoutofdoors0000vand",
   "https://archive.org/details/thyseaisgreatour00vandiala",
   "https://archive.org/details/chosenpoems0000vand"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 127,
  "n_stanzas": 6,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 54,
  "max_indent": 0
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "In robes of Tyrian blue the King was drest,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A jewelled collar shone upon his breast,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A giant ruby glittered in his crown:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lord of rich lands and many a splendid town,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In him the glories of an ancient line",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of sober kings, who ruled by right divine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Were centred; and to him with loyal awe",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The people looked for leadership and law.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ten thousand knights, the safeguard of the land,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Were like a single sword within his hand;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A hundred courts, with power of life and death,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Proclaimed decrees of justice by his breath;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And all the sacred growths that men had known",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of order and of rule upheld his throne.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Proud was the King: yet not with such a heart",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As fits a man to play a royal part.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not his the pride that honours as a trust",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The right to rule, the duty to be just:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not his the dignity that bends to bear",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The monarch’s yoke, the master’s load of care,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And labours like the peasant at his gate,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To serve the people and protect the State.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Another pride was his, and other joys:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To him the crown and sceptre were but toys,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With which he played at glory’s idle game,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To please himself and win the wreaths of fame.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The throne his fathers held from age to age,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To his ambition seemed a fitting stage",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Built for King Martin to display at will,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His mighty strength and universal skill.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No conscious child, that, spoiled with praising, tries",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At every step to win admiring eyes,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No favourite mountebank, whose acting draws",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From gaping crowds the thunder of applause,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was vainer than the King: his only thirst",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was to be hailed, in every race, the first.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When tournament was held, in knightly guise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The King would ride the lists and win the prize;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When music charmed the court, with golden lyre",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The King would take the stage and lead the choir;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In hunting, his the lance to slay the boar;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In hawking, see his falcon highest soar;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In painting, he would wield the master’s brush;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In high debate⁠—“the King is speaking! Hush!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thus, with a restless heart, in every field",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He sought renown, and made his subjects yield.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But while he played the petty games of life",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His kingdom fell a prey to inward strife;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Corruption through the court unheeded crept,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And on the seat of honour justice slept.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The strong trod down the weak; the helpless poor",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Groaned under burdens grievous to endure;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The nation’s wealth was spent in vain display,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And weakness wore the nation’s heart away.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Yet think not Earth is blind to human woes⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Man has more friends and helpers than he knows;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And when a patient people are oppressed,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The land that bore them feels it in her breast.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Spirits of field and flood, of heath and hill,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Are grieved and angry at the spreading ill;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The trees complain together in the night,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Voices of wrath are heard along the height,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And secret vows are sworn, by stream and strand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To bring the tyrant low and free the land.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But little recked the pampered King of these;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He heard no voice but such as praise and please.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Flattered and fooled, victor in every sport,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One day he wandered idly with his court",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Beside the river, seeking to devise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "New ways to show his skill to wondering eyes.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "There in the stream a patient angler stood,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And cast his line across the rippling flood.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His silver spoil lay near him on the green:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Such fish,” the courtiers cried, “were never seen!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Three salmon longer than a cloth-yard shaft⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This man must be the master of his craft!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“An easy art!” the jealous King replied:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Myself could learn it better, if I tried,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And catch a hundred larger fish a week⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Wilt thou accept the challenge, fellow? Speak!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The angler turned, came near, and bent his knee:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“ ’Tis not for kings to strive with such as me;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet if the King commands it, I obey.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But one condition of the strife I pray:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The fisherman who brings the least to land",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shall do whate’er the other may command.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Loud laughed the King: “A foolish fisher thou!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For I shall win, and rule thee then as now.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Then to Prince John, a sober soul, sedate",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And slow, King Martin left the helm of State,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While to the novel game with eager zest",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He all his time and all his powers addressed.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sure such a sight was never seen before!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In robe and crown the monarch trod the shore;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His golden hooks were decked with feathers fine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His jewelled reel ran out a silken line.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With kingly strokes he flogged the crystal stream;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Far-off the salmon saw his tackle gleam;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Careless of kings, they eyed with calm disdain",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The gaudy lure, and Martin fished in vain.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On Friday, when the week was almost spent,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He scanned his empty creel with discontent,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Called for a net, and cast it far and wide,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And drew⁠—a thousand minnows from the tide!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then came the angler to conclude the match,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And at the monarch’s feet spread out his catch⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A hundred salmon, greater than before.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“I win!” he cried: “the King must pay the score.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then Martin, angry, threw his tackle down:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Rather than lose this game I’d lose my crown!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Nay, thou hast lost them both,” the angler said;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And as he spoke a wondrous light was shed",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Around his form; he dropped his garments mean,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And in his place the River-god was seen.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Thy vanity has brought thee in my power,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And thou must pay the forfeit at this hour:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For thou hast shown thyself a royal fool,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Too proud to angle, and too vain to rule,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Eager to win in every trivial strife⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Go! Thou shalt fish for minnows all thy life!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Wrathful, the King the magic sentence heard;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He strove to answer, but he only chirr-r-ed:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His royal robe was changed to wings of blue,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His crown a ruby crest⁠—away he flew!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "So every summer day along the stream",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The vain King-fisher darts, an azure gleam,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And scolds the angler with a mocking scream.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}