Ivan and His Sword

There once was a sword of remarkable craftsmanship,
That could only be wielded by the bravest of men;
Many wished to conquer with this sword by their hip,
Like the vile king, Merton and his evil wife, Gwen!

But this magical sword of uniquely forged metal
Lay in the hands of a protector named Ivan,
A ruler and warrior whose unparalleled skill
Wiped out numerous foes with his weapon a-drivin’. 

The barbaric Lord Merton of the neighboring province
Sought complete subjugation of Ivan’s realm,
But he and Gwen could not seize that land, since
The great sword was controlled by him at its helm. 

Then, suddenly one day, there appeared in the sky,
Armored bears and cheetahs perched atop dragons –
These malevolent creatures set up camp close by,
An army of invaders in countless, dark wagons. 

Then Ivan received a declaration from Merton –
He must surrender the sword or face ruinous attack, 
From these warring bears and cheetahs, who most certain
Would defeat Ivan’s troops, for sheer numbers they’d lack. 

Ivan thought it best that he not reply in earnest,
Said he’d bring them the sword, hand it over in person. 
But in reality, the sword now faced a grave test,
And the fate of his people, thereafter, might worsen. 

Merton, Gwen, and the invaders gazed in awe,
As Ivan approached the dusky clearing.
Under deep red, orange skies, the sword, did he draw –
The time for power changing hands, quickly nearing. 

Then, he hoisted the magical sword high above his head,
And drove the heroic blade deep into the ground –
Flashes of lightening throughout the clearing spread,
And thunderous, crackling noises made a jarring sound.

The jolts of power and high winds made everybody scatter – 
The sword’s protection against all evil, no one could withstand. 
When all had vanished from the clearing, his sword had solved the matter,
Ivan’s realm was safe again; now in the sword’s command.