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Stories of the meaning of Chivalry
One Twelfth Night...
at feast I complained of the lack of knights in my area to instruct us. I felt abandoned in the wilds of the SCA for many years, and felt the need of the leadership I felt only a knight could provide. "Why aren't there more knights?" I asked. "Why haven't ---- or ----- been made knights?" and so forth. That evening there was a "Secret Santa" gift exchange. When I opened my own package, there were a pair of plastic spurs, a tiny white belt, and a plastic gold-colored chain. There was a note, too. It simply said, "Be Thou A Good Knight". I still have those tokens to this day. I keep them hanging in my room to remind me that knighthood isn't what others make us, but what we make in our own hearts. They are among my most treasured belongings.
I found myself one early morning at Gulf Wars?
asking Prince Darius from the East what he thought the most important thing was to know about chivalry. He started to answer, then stopped and ran off across the field. He had spotted a lady trying to carry a heavy load about 300 yards away, and had interrupted our conversation to go help her. When he got back, he said, "Now, what was your question?" Best answer I ever got to that question...
Once upon a time, in a Barony far, far away...
Some of our local canton went to the movie Mulan, including several fighters, among whom was a veteran of the Pennsic war. In appearance he much resembled Hagrid from the Harry Potter movie, and he and his fellows were quite taken with the military training theme of the movie. At the moment just before the small party of Chinese fighters was suddenly surprised by a wave of Mongols coming over the breast of a hill, the tension had our large bearded fighter half crawling up the back of his seat. When the Mongols streamed over the hill he at first whispered then spoke aloud:
blue tape.
Blue Tape.
BlueTApeBlueTapeBlueTApe!!!!
(For those who don't know about Pennsic, that's the color marking of the Eastern/opposing army in our battles...if you don't understand why this story illustrates chivalry, think about this. What is more chivalrous than letting your fellow fighters know when a danger exists for them? It was so ingrained in this fighter to warn his fellows of danger that the response came out even at the movies...)
And a note from a knight to my lady with the message that inspired it:
Dear Lady Margarette
Thank you so much for this story it made me remember why I always wanted to
be a Knight. I hope you do not mind that I shared this story with my
Midrealm brothers. Again thank you, you have touched my heart and have given
me another reason to be proud to be a KSCA.
Sir Randolph Lee
Middle Kingdom
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SCA-West] Dare To have a Good StoryDate: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 07:25:30 PDT
> From: "Margarette Rose" <lostrose10@hotmail.com>
> Reply-To: sca-west@rogues.net
> To: sca-west@rogues.net
>
> My Lord,
> I shall take your challenge, but if grace should
> shine, not the prize (I hate fish).
>
> I have many stories which are funny and heart
> warming, some which there will be a few, who will
> not "agree" with, but at the time and in this
> place, no one thought it wrong.....
>
> Make-a-Wish
> (A day of Magic)
>
> Long ago in a kingdom on the West Coast, there was
> a small tourney. This tourney was the first
> "Make-a-wish" tourney that I ever attended. The
> foundation had brought a small eight year old boy
> in a wheel chair to the event. It was his "hearts desire" that he should
> be "King for a Day." As with all who qualify for
> this foundation, he was dying. He had cancer of
> the brain and the
> doctors had given him 2-3 months more to live.
> He was wheelchair bound, and on medication, but
> much more alert than most expected. His cute brown
> hair and big eyes seemed to eat up everything he
> saw!
>
> The day was beautiful, not overly hot, and the
> skies were clear. The
> populace had crafted a crown, a scepter, and a
> cloak for "His Majesty". As we stood and bowed as
> he was brought down the center isle for opening
> court, the wind picked up and sent the banners
> snapping in the breeze. Two knights attended His
> Majesty, as well as his Mother, who walked
> behind. Her eyes were misty as she watched total
> strangers giving her son his dying wish.
>
> During opening court, the combatants for the day
> came forward and pledged
> their fights to His Majesty's honor. Without
> prompting, He smiled, thanked
> them, and wished them well. He was so grown up in
> his manners and speech.
> Everyone's heart caught in their throats.
>
> Towards the end of the day, "His Majesty's"
> attendants requested an audience with the Knights
> council and the King (ours). At the council
> meeting, one of the knights requested, that as
> this small child had through out the day shown
> bravery, honor, chivalry, and courtesy, he should
> be knighted by our King. This knight
> offered his own belt for the lad, another came
> forward and offered his chain, still another
> offered his spurs and finally the last knight who
> came forward offered his dagger to serve as a
> sword for the new knight. There was one of the
> older knights who objected, saying that "they
> couldn't possibly knight this boy, who first was
> not a member of the society and who secondly
> wasn't even a fighter!" But as Our King pointed
> out, the child was dying and wouldn't live to grow
> up to be a fighter, but he had been fighting
> this disease all of his life and had been able to
> be courteous through it all! The older knight
> sat down. Also the King continued, saying that
> he himself had also watched the lad and indeed he
> could attest to his bravery, for he never showed
> any discomfort, to anyone.
>
> At closing court "His Majesty" was knighted! Those
> attending court cried,
> those knights who gave up their own items cried
> and the day ended.
>
> But this is not the end of the story. Nine or ten
> months later, his Mother came to an event. She
> wanted first to thank us for making her son's
> last days so happy and to let us know that the
> doctors had credited the Society and its actions
> with prolonging the child's life. She also said
> that when things got really bad, he never cried,
> because, he said, "Real, knights had to be brave
> and since he was a real knight now, he had to be
> brave too." Also she wanted us to know that, he
> died with his belt, chain, and spurs on, holding
> his sword. She had buried him with the sword,
> belt and chain, but wanted to return the spurs to
> the Knight who had donated them. The knight in
> question, rose, and knelt before this lady, "It
> was an honor, My Lady, to count your son, as one
> of us." He told her. "Your son has taught us all
> the true meaning of bravery. Please keep the
> spurs as a remembrance of him and the honor he did
> us all."
>
> Many years have come and gone since this
> Make-a-wish tourney, but I still
> remember the generosity of the SCA and its ability
> to touch the every day
> world.
>
> I hope this qualifies for a positive story. It
> has certainly touched my
> life and inspired me. I hope it does you too.
>
> Mags
>(Lady Margarette de Burgh of Silvermoor
If YOU have an SCA story that illustrates for you what it is to be chivalrous, please sent it to me email at:
redbranch9@hotmail.com.