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Paraphrasing of Sir Patrick Spence

Sir Patrick Spence ' is a folk ballad from the Middle Ages . It uses common language of the time to relate a suspenseful story . Paraphrased the ballad 's story is thus

A king in the town of Dumferling drinks wine and laments that he is looking for a sailor who will guide a ship he owns . A knight overhears him and steps close to the king to tell him that Sir Patrick Spence is just the man he needs . The king

writes and signs a letter addressed to Sir Patrick Spence and asks him to sail to Norway to bring home his daughter . Sir Spence is out walking along the beach . Sir Patrick Spence reads the letter , at first laughing with incredulity , then crying as he realizes why the king is asking him to set sail . Sir Spence realizes it is a bad time of year to be on the ocean , but nevertheless he calls together a crew . He fears a big storm with hail and sleet will occur and the ship be damaged but still feels compelled to honor the king 's wishes . The group leaves on Monday at half speed and they land in Norway on Wednesday . On the way back the sailors ready for a terrible storm Soon the storm blows in and makes the sea rough , breaking the anchors and topmasts . The waves are so fierce they come up over the sides of the ship , breaking it , too . The sailors frantically try to repair the storm 's damage but it does no good . Derisively , the Scottish sailors are said to be unwilling to get their shoes wet . Meanwhile , the sailors ladies wait at home , alone in their beds at night . They look for some sign of the ship arriving back safely . The ladies stand lookout with gold combs in their hair , but they will never see the sailors again . Sir Patrick Spence and his crew made it halfway but the ship sank to fifty fathoms and this is where he and his crew now lay

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