Disclaimer: Les Miserables (the novel) and Good King Wenceslas are both in the public domain, so there!
Bishop Bienvenue looked out
One dreary October
While cold winds blew all about
Gray and sad and sober.
Brightly shone the lanterns' light,
Neither flare nor taper
When a peasant came in sight
Bearing yellow paper.
"Hither, sister, come by me
See that man so weary?
Let us give him some reprieve
From his journey dreary."
"Brother, do not let him in
Methinks he be a robber
He has long been in prison
For stealing some fodder."
"Then set the table, cook some food
For our wrongéd brother.
Put him in a cheerful mood
As we would any other."
Thus he opened wide the door,
Welcoming the vagrant
Then the maid he did adore
Brought in dishes fragrant.
The peasant ate all that he could,
And told them all his story.
The Bishop saw he had been good,
But then fell from God's glory.
Late that night the man snuck in
While the priest lay sleeping
Careful not to make a din
Lest he catch him peeping.
By police the man was caught
With the things he'd taken
He would be condemned, he thought
But he was mistaken.
Bienvenue said "Rise, my son
Take what you are given.
Sure as God is three and one,
You are now forgiven."
The man went on his merry way,
Leaving thus the friar
Gladdened by the light of day
And by a purpose higher.
From then on he changed his soul,
Generous and daring
Helping others made him whole
Due to one man's caring.
A/N: I know there are only five verses in GKW, but I added an extra one to give it more of a conclusion :) I have a theory that this song was V-Hugs' initial inspiration for the novel, stemming from the question of what happened to the beggar after his encounter with the king. The lyrics were written in 1853, so it is a possibility.