Once upon a time in a kingdom ill-defined
A dark-eyed prince sat sideways on his throne
And he cast aside the thoughts of his princess long and lost
And decided he’d live principally alone
So he built himself a castle made of stumbling blocks and bricks
And he filled the mote with crocodile tears and other tricks
But he forgot to build the doorway, he forgot to build the gate
So he had to build a catapult just to knock the wall away

And he’d venture out at night, bejeweled and erudite
And he’d ride from town to town and farm to farm
And he’d laugh at all the sheep and at the company they keep
And he’d burn down all the churches and the barns
Until he’d find a proper damsel, then he’d play the proper prince
And he’d lead her home with apples and a promise on a stick
Til she’d fall upon the pillow, then he’d fall upon the dawn
And he’d close his eyes to hers and then just dream that she was gone

So he swore upon the crown that he’d melt desire down
And he boarded up his windows and his eyes
But he still could hear the sound of the rain upon the ground
And he still could feel his face against the sky
And how the birds and how the bees, they each took turns upon their knees
And how the “Take me if you dare to” turned to “Thank you if you please”
And how the nectar in the flowers and how the flowers on the vine
They’d turn his blood from fever into honey-juice and wine

And he knew that it was true, in the crumbs that nature threw
And that ever-after always ends the tale
And that somewhere in disguise there was a girl with lantern eyes
Who could fill the darkest shadows with detail
So he’d build another tower just to tear another down
And he’d lay a trail of candles from his castle into town
But if you go there please be careful, and if you leave there please be quick
Cause he’ll rob your eyes of color and your bones to make more bricks