Stanzas 1-10 Summarization of Stephen R. Lawhead's "Hood"

There once was a young prince named Bran.
Of his mother, he was a true fan.
He went to the Guarding Wood,
Shot a boar that was good,
And brought it to her as a man.

Many years later in Elfael,
Lord Brychan was trying to tell
Of the peace he wanted,
But his arrogance haunted
And the enemy did come to dwell.

Lord Brychan and his soldiers were killed
By the Ffreincs who were all of strong build.
Only Iwan survived,
Back home he arrived,
And the story to Bran he spilled.

Bran, Iwan, and Ffreol, their friar friend,
Warned the village and instantly fled.
To Lundein they went,
Despite their lament,
To seek peace and to make their amends.

While the young men travelled to Lundein,
Baron Neufmarché was trying to stay sane.
He had wanted Elfael,
But to the Normans the King did sell,
So the Baron requested for more gain.

Meanwhile, the three men continued on.
For a few days they had been gone.
Ffreol took them to Tuck,
A friar who cooked up some duck,
And told stories until it was dawn.

To Lundein they brought the new friar.
Waiting to speak with the King, they did tire.
At last they were brought,
Told that Elfael had been bought,
And that it would take much more money to acquire.

In a rage, the men returned home,
But they were stopped on the road where they roamed.
They were attacked by the Ffreincs,
Brother Ffreol they shanked,
And Bran was captured and brought home.

The Ffreincs want a ransom for Bran’s life,
So they send him to get money in strife.
But Bran gets a horse,
Sets off on his course
Going North, not to be stabbed by a knife.

Bran stops at Mérian’s on the way.
He declares his love, asking if she’ll stray.
She quickly says, “No,”
Gives him some arrows and a bow,
And tells him to leave. He obeys.