a/n: quite a lot of spoilers for "The Adventure of Silver Blaze". A double ballade.
Holmes and companions do not belong to me.
POV of Watson
Silver Blaze
Dear Holmes is driving me insane;
I've had as much as I can bear.
He's pacing up and down again;
He's scattered papers everywhere.
At last I'm told I should prepare;
He hopes I'll join him on a case.
A stable owner's in despair:
His Silver Blaze may miss the race.
~o~
Perhaps I really should explain
The nature of this grim affair;
A race horse gone, a trainer slain;
A cause celebre beyond compare
For all the nation seems to care
About this horse with white-marked face.
Excitement fills the Dartmoor air:
Can Silver Blaze still run this race?
~o~
To Tavistock, by morning train;
Our mission will begin right there.
And Holmes regards with great disdain
The wild surmise the papers share;
Conjecture which they all declare.
He needs a far more solid base:
All facts detached, the truth laid bare:
For Silver Blaze to run the race.
~o~
Holmes knows that clear reports are rare,
Which groundless theories can't replace.
Without them, there is not a prayer
That Silver Blaze will run the race.
~o~
The owner's pleased my partner came;
He greets us as we both alight.
It seems a local man's to blame;
The case seems less than watertight.
A race horse lost in morning light
Has disappeared without a trace.
The motive? Greed, revenge, or spite?
So Silver Blaze won't run the race.
~o~
Three sheep mysteriously lame;
A startled horse, a sudden fright;
A flying hoof with lethal aim;
A dog not barking in the night;
A stable boy's drugged supper plight;
A trainer's double life disgrace.
Holmes knows that all will turn out right
And Silver Blaze will run the race.
~o~
The Wessex Cup: the chance for fame.
The owner greets us both, polite,
But puzzled at my partner's claim.
A bay horse runs with all its might
And wins; to Holmes' sincere delight.
My friend declares his hidden ace:
Beneath brown dye, a flash of white;
So, Silver Blaze has run the race.
~o~
An equine prince, a noble sight;
The flash is clear across his face.
Thus horse and owner reunite:
Yes, Silver Blaze has won the race!
~o~
a/n 2: a ballade is more structured than a ballad. French origin,14th century. and consisting of three verses of eight lines and a four line final verse (envoi) Each verse ends with the same line, the rhyme pattern in most is ababbcbC, with the envoi-bcbC. Also, traditionally, the final verse is supposed to be addressed to a prince; a nod to the royal patronage of early practitioners. I therefore added that word :-) The trickiest aspect is that only three end rhymes are used in each ballade. One variation only uses two.