Knight-Errantry

Though the practice of chivalry fell even more sadly short of its theoretic standard than practice generally falls below theory, it remains one of the most precious monuments of the moral history of our race, as a remarkable instance of a concerted and organized attempt by a most disorganized and distracted society, to raise up and carry into practice a moral ideal greatly in advance of its social condition and institutions; so much so as to have been completely frustrated in the main object, yet never entirely inefficacious, and which has left a most sensible, and for the most part a highly valuable impress on the ideas and feelings of all subsequent times.
-- John Stuart Mill

Sunday, August 31, 1997

In the summer of 1993 I took my nephew J--- to the Camlann Medieval Faire. This is a place in the country outside Seattle where they have a mock village and fair that goes on all summer. I took him because he was very interested (obsessed even!) with the violin then, at the age of two and a half, and had an interest in music and instruments generally. Little did I know that some other events at the fair would turn into a consuming interest for him!

That first time we enjoyed the puppet show, the performers and storytellers, and a snack. But the part of the day that rocked his world was the tournament! Looking back, I can see how this fit into his pattern, but I was surprised at the time.

The premise of the tournament was that a young squire was being knighted, and some passages at arms were being performed in celebration of that fact. The lords and ladies had scripted dialog, good costumes, and definite personalities to portray. The tourney opened with a trumpet fanfare and a statement of the rules in Middle Ages language. J--- was really into rules at that age, and he took these to heart.

There were challenges with blunted spears, staffs, swords, and halberds. The knights had real armor, with different colors, heraldry and shields for each family. J--- had never seen anything like this before. He was completely enthralled. We stayed much later than I had planned, because he wanted to.

Looking back, I can see why he loved it so. He loves costumes; knights wear costumes. He enjoys ritual; the tourney has definite rules and rituals. He likes performing; the participants were performing within a performance, since they were pretending to be lords and ladies, who were enacting a tournament which is ritualized combat. Add in the common boy's interest in fighting and violence and this whole thing might have been made for him.

So tournament play was immediately added to his repertoire of favorite games. He didn't just pretend to be fighting, he pretended that he was in the tournament, entering formally, bowing, then doing the combat (hitting a tree with a stick for a sword). We got books about armor and castles and heraldry.

* * * * * * * *

Camlann turned into a long-term enjoyment for us. We have returned every year. Today we went with my sister, my younger nephew B----, and a neighbor boy. The setting is very nice, a wooded property north of Carnation, with an open tourney field, booths interpersed among the trees, and a permanent building that is open all year for feasting.

We got there early enough that we had to wait a short while before they opened the gates. J--- had decided to wear his Robin Hood hat and green cloak, as well as dressing in green shirt and green pants. He carried his bow, and a very ill-designed quiver that held the suction-cup arrows in plastic prongs. (It's so badly designed that he was down to one arrow.) He was pretty good about carrying this stuff and not asking us to do so.

I was surprised this year to see that one of the vendors, a leatherworker, was actually selling floggers of buckskin, as well as other bondage gear. Tough to explain to kids!

One of the highlights of the day is the puppet show. This performer has two shows, and the one on the Crowning of King Arthur is great! Totally funny and well paced. The one on Robin Hood is not as good. The Arthurian puppet show has magic, a dragon, knights, a clown, and the Devil! How can a story about a usurper to the throne of England compete?

There must have been a shortage of knights this year or this weekend, because instead of the elaborate tournament that we had seen in previous years, they only had two fighters! So they framed it differently, in some sort of allegorical story where a knight, to win his lady, had to conquer various faults or sins embodied in the other night. Disappointing!

Of course, what we have always wanted to see is jousting, but I think this isn't done anywhere anymore. Just too dangerous, for the riders and the horses! Even in Virginia where this sport survives, they tilt at a ring, not at each other.

But making up for my nephew for the tournament deficiencies was the fact that at six years old, he was now old enough to take part in the archery! You pay two dollars for six arrows, shot from a real bow at a target pinned to straw bales. He did very well!