WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - The Poetry Fix: Legend of the Knight of the Red Cross, Part Two

Episode Date: February 12, 2026

Today, we continue our journey through Spencer's Faerie Queene. Join Erika Kyba as she analyzes how Spencer draws a connection between the poem's female lead, Una, and the symbol of the Lamb of God. We talk about the importance of not judging Una as your typical damsel in distress too quickly; she's a character that might surprise you.

Welcome to The Poetry Fix on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm your host, Erica Kaiba, bringing you your weekly fix of poetry from across time. So we're making our way through the first adventure of Spencer's Fairy Queen, the legend of the Night of the Red Cross. Last week, we discussed how the poet introduces us to our two main characters, Red Cross and Una. Once again, Spencer has not revealed their names yet, and he won't for a long time. We have to watch their behavior, and from that, gather what we can. We left off with Spencer's description of Una, and we're going to continue that here.

Spencer describes her as leading an innocent white lamb behind her, a clear symbol of Christ. In today's reading, Spencer draws an even more explicit link between her character and that of the lamb. He says she is just as pure and innocent as that lamb. Now, this linking of Una with a Christological symbol should make us think for a second. The way that this poem has started out, it seems like her role in the story is to be protected. I mean, Red Cross is there in the first place to avenge Una's family and their stolen kingdom, and she's got a magical dwarf riding alongside her whose job is to guard her and carry her stuff. Sounds like your classic damsel, right?

Your classic virtuous damsel, who's pure and good in a way that mirrors the Lamb of God. But let's take a second. The Lamb of God was a sacrificial victim for the rest of mankind. He suffered a lot and was not protected from evil, but rather confronted it head on. All this to say, make sure not to gloss over Una's portrayal in this poem. She might not quite be the character that you expect her to be. With all that said, let's dive in. The Fairy Queen, Legend of the Night of the Red Cross by Edmund Spencer,

narrated by Sophia Kaiba. So pure and innocent as that same lamb, she was in life and every virtuant. lore, and by descent from royal lineage came, of ancient kings and queens, that had of yore their sceptres stretched from east to western shore, and all the world in their subjection held, till that infernal fiend with foul uproar, forewasted all their land and them expelled, whom to avenged she had this night from far compelled. Behind her far away a dwarf did lag, that lazy seemed in being everlasted, and, and she had, or wearied with a bearing of her bag of needments at his back.

Thus as they passed, the day with clouds was sudden overcast, and angry Jove, an edious storm of rain did pour into his layman's lap so fast that every white to shroud it did constrain, and this fair couple eke to shroud themselves were fain. Enforced to seek some covert nigh at hand, a shady grove not far away they spied, that promised aid the tempest to withstand, whose lofty trees, eclad with summer's pride,

did spread so broad that heaven's light did hide, not percible with power of any star, and all within were paths and alleys wide, with footing worn and leading inward far, fair harbor that them seems, so in they entered are. And forth they pass, with pleasure forward-led, joying to hear the bird's sweet harmony, which therein shrouded from the tempest dread,

seemed in their song to scorn the cruel sky. Much can they praise the trees so straight and high. The sailing pine, the cedar proud and tall, the vine propelm, the poplar never dry. The builder oak, sole king of forests all, the Asmine Good for Staves, the Cypress Funeral. You've been listening to The Poetry Fix with Erica, Kaiba. If you enjoyed this episode, consider following The Poetry Fix on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. And if you have any poems you want to see in a future episode, email your suggestions to the Poetry Fix at gmail.com. Join me next week and we'll be continuing our journey through

the Fairy Queen.