Sir Fredrick, the Diminutive

I hope you guys don't mind these deviations from my normal course, but as I have explained, I have 3 pieces in the hopper, but can't post any of them because of an oath of secrecy -- OK, yeah, that's over-stated  -- but they are gifts and I don't want to spoil any surprises.  In fact, one piece (perhaps my best work yet, even if I do say myself) cannot be divulged until late summer.  Ouch!  

So, instead, I've got another "so how did that come to be said:"

Sir Fredrick, the Diminutive, a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, experienced a considerable amount of abuse for he stood but 4’8” including helmet plume.  Absolutely nothing about his life was easy for him.

Poor Sir Fredrick could never find armor in his size.  All he could do was purchase the smallest suit available and have it altered to fit.  Even the simple task of mounting his noble steed, Lightning, required a stepladder (that he kept securely strapped to his saddle).  But what Sir Fredrick lacked in height, he more than made up for in gallantry. 

The one thing that drove Sir Fredrick was the undying love that he carried for King Arthur’s ward, the lovely Veronica.  But alas, she towered over him at nearly 5’10”.  Time and again -- much to his dismay -- she would saunter through the court and flirt with all of the other Knights.  But Veronica’s gaze would pass right over the head of poor Sir Fredrick as if he wasn’t there.  

Then one day Sir Fredrick happened to notice a young lass having trouble at the city’s well.  Forever the gallant knight, he dismounted (not before taking careful note that his stepladder was still there, of course) and proceeded to help her haul the heavy bucket from the well.  It wasn’t until he placed the bucket at her feet and straighten up that he realized just how lovely she was.  Her raven hair and beautiful smile were breath taking for Sir Fredrick but perhaps her most appealing feature was that she stood precisely 4’ 2” tall.  After stammering a bit, Sir Fredrick introduced himself. She smiled and said that her name was Ann Louise.

Sir Fredrick was immediately smitten.  Gone were all thoughts of Veronica.  “She was far too tall for me anyway.  We never would have made it work!” thought Sir Fredrick.  Within months Sir Fredrick and Ann Louise were married and lived happily ever after.

The moral to the story:

            “ ‘Tis better to have loved Ann Louise than ever to have loved a tall.”