Chivalrous Acts and Unwise Challenges: The Story of the Legendary Monster of Cudgel War Lake - Herr Egil Drakhufvud, Squire to Sir Brendan

The truth of this story was witnessed by many including the Queen of Drachenwald and the Princess of Nordmark, so it must be true. Once upon a time, there was a monster in the lake. It had eaten children for several years, but when it bit a child in the foot this year, a mighty warrior stepped up and proclaimed that he would slay the monster.

First he dived down into the lake, and started to dig the monster out of its lair with his bare hands, but the monster did not yield, and neither did our warrior.

He brought rope and many mighty lords and ladies down for a second attempt. This warrior was from Frostheim, and they are not the kind of people to ever give up! He dived down into the muddy water and found the monster again. He put several loops of rope around its neck and the whole crowd tried to strangle the monster. But the monster did not yield, and being from Frostheim, neither did our fierce warrior.

At this point, people told him to give up, but he did not! A old and rusty saw was brought to him and he swam down once more and this time, he stayed under the water for a long, long time. But then he broke the surface with the monster's head in his fist, and he yelled:

“Behold the monster's head! The lake is safe for us again!"

Even though the monster was dead, its eyes were terrible to behold, so our warrior picked them out with his blade and replaced them with two fine carnelian gems from Nordmark. The monster's head was later presented to the Baron and Baroness of Aarnimetsä as a gift.
And the moral of this story is that sometimes you just have to keep trying, and you will find a way to achieve your goal. And if you need to retell this story for someone outside the SCA, you could say: there was a sharp pole in the water under the bridge where children got hurt all the time. A stubborn guy dug a half meter down in the mud and sawed it off. But that does not sound as fun, does it?

This story took place at Cudgel War XVII in the Barony of Aarnimetsä, in A.S. LIII/53. The written version is by and the hero in the story is Herr Egil Drakhufvud, squire to Sir Brendan the Tired. The magical version where the story is told and shown to you through the ether with wonderful pictures (video) is narrated by Jarl Peregrine MacKay and the illustration, illumination and calligraphy for the book it features were by Aislinn O'Faelan.

Courageous Challenges and Desperate Duels: ‘The Five Duels of Raglan - A tale of caution and consequence' by Lord Guy de Dinan

1

There dwelt a Lady of innocent repose but loose tongue

Whose name is nameless, yet her thoughts careless slung

Of temptations of the flesh, and carnal hope

She professed, and was called 

Trollope

2

Now in this company there was a swordswoman that

Would match blade skill with the instinct of a cat

She riled herself up, hissing at the Man 

Little realising he was called

Guy de Dinan

3

Pray Sir, to this Lady, deliver your apology

Forthwith, or else by the marks of horology

I will show you are in aereo

For I am called

Alessandra De Riario

4

I will not take the demand from the like of you he said

This is little but the wind from the Med

I shall pin your body to a tree!

For insults on my home called

Italy

Chivalrous Acts and Unwise Challenges: ‘Remember to Specify' by Lady Alessandra di Riario

In a small town in the north of the Principality lived a bravado who took great joy in battle but lacked humility and was given to crowing which wars had they been in, which tournaments, which great lords they challenged and what a beating had been given. Being proud and quick to wrath, though of great courage, and sometimes esteeming fighting over learning, this bravado did not always remember to tell that it had been given to them. All day this bravado was out talking and swinging swords, prattling of which great list they might enter this week, next week or the next month and whom they would defeat, forgetting to do what they had been told to practice, and bemoaning not having the finest clothes to fight in and to sit drinking at feast after. 

Now it happened that in the next town lived a seamstress who passed the bravado when she came to market or went to see tournaments or attended great feasts, for her work was fine and she had sewn even for the Queen herself. This seamstress heard the great boasting and occasional pellwork and thought, “Truly this must be a noble of high rank and great skill if they can afford to talk more and practice less. I can make fine clothes of brocade and silk wool from Flanders. I can sew finest linen for shirts to dress them for battle.” And so the seamstress asked the bravado what clothes were wanted and the bravado replied saying “all of them.” And the seamstress, being of wit as well as beauty, replied saying “that is as well, but they must be paid for”. “Of course” replied the bravado and brought out a great purse and said “there will be more once I have finished the next tournament”  And the seamstress took the purse and began sewing and soon the fine clothes were brought and were received with great joy.

Animals: ‘The Cat Who Entered Coronet’ by Lady Alessandra di Riario

In the current year of our beloved Society, those gathered in the month of February by the field of the Clough of Linnet to see the great tournament were witness to a strange sight. Not the rain which had fallen for forty days and nights, or the wind that constantly howled and moaned or so it seemed to the Company there gathered, to the ladies who huddled in their warmest garb, to the Chivalry who despatched their squires for their heaviest cloak, or to the Marshal who declared that the tournament to provide heirs to the Principality should be held between the kitchen and the hall, where the ground would bear the weight of an armed warrior. The number of the combatants in this great tournament was at that time less than even, so that for great love of Courtesy and that the fighters might have benefit of his skill and desire to promote learning, His Majesty Aerikr also took the field as a Bye fighter.

And so it was that after a break, for the fighting had been hard with many great blows inflicted upon helm and hauberk, and many great warriors chivalrously defeated by their opponents, though they gave great resistance, that his Majesty took the field. Before he could strike a blow, the Chivalry cried “hold!” of one voice, for a new combatant walked upon the field, even though he had sought no approval and sent no letter and the Seneschal knew not his name.

This brave and proud warrior was long and lean of limb, pointed of face and large of ear.  His hair was of a curious sandy hue, with streaks of brown and black, his breast and feet as white as the swan and behind he bore a great ringed plume which he carried proudly. For this was Oscar, c(h)atelaine of that place, born to his fief 18 summers ago, he bore a man’s whiskers on his chin, and, so the gatekeeper attested, he was wont to patrol his lands each day, lest any invade and lay siege to them. And as Oscar crossed to the field he went not first to the Lady Alessandra who bore on her shield the cat paly, nor to the lady Eowen who bore on hers his own image. This proud lord, scion of the Great Cat of Ra, went first unto Sir Avery of Westfall who cried to the company “Here is our friend come to see us, let us welcome him”. At that the Lady Alessandra gave much assent crying, “yes, let us welcome him, for he is old for one of his race and at 18 summers this may be his last time on the field.” Then did Sir Elfin, Duke Drachenwald, agree saying most wisely “if he is of 18 summers then he asserts correctly his right to be on the field, for he is come of age even though he be not auth’d.”

Then did the company welcome on to the field Oscar, and grant unto him by this assent auth for the day and Oscar made fit to assail the King. He took his stance, keeping his distance and raised his arm which bore no less than five sharp blades - and then he yielded, blinking with his eyes, as his race is wont to do. Thus Oscar showed wisdom in his valor and a lesson to those who would always seek glory without first considering their odds. This Oscar paid unto Aerikr great homage and acknowledged him as his liege lord, and Aerikr accepted his homage. He allowed him to leave with honor and to cross the field to the company of the ladies who welcomed him with great joy and much rubbing of ears and scratching of belly and this Oscar showed by his courtesy and gentleness that he was well accustomed to such.

And on that day was victory granted by the strength of his arm and the extent of his chivalry and courtesy to Sir Avery of Westfall and his wise and beautiful lady Zoë, that they might rule our great principality. As for Oscar, he walks his domains still, for he is of age to be on the field, and still he looks at Kings, and is loved by ladies, for I have heard no different.