Non-Fighting events

[HaMizrachi@aol.com]

Greetings fellow soujerners at the Merry Rose, from Yaakov.

Brigantia makes a number of suggestions:

>Perhaps something like a medieval roast-not of food but a way of ragging on
>someone in a jocular way. Perhaps an insult flinging contest, a best leering
>contest, best pick-up line contest,best revealing of a lady's ankles
contest,
>a pin the armour on a knight contest (done with a piece of paper and
>blindfold), worst attempt at singing contest, best come-back line contest.
>Perhaps you could get a contest for Rebear and others with a food-a-pult
>contest. Perhaps song sheets could be given out after feast for a large
>sing-a-long (works better if it is a wet site).
>I read this message while in a silly mood, so pardon the level of the
answers

While no offense to Brigantia, and acknowledging the mood, I find it
disturbing that few folks turn to period endeavours.  After all, folks in the
middle ages did not spend every minute fighting tournements.

Instead, why not see what Medievals actually did when they got together and
didn't fight.  Personally, I favor poetry and story telling, along with drink
and song (but I am horribly biased).  Conversation and mental tricks were in
sufficient demand that folks could make a living from being interesting.
 Games abound, including --dare I say it-- gambling.

I suggest:

1) A story telling competition a la Boccacio's Decamerron.

2) Poetic contests.

3) Debates and disputations.  (If you don't think this is interesting, watch
for it at Pennsic!)

Yaakov