Re: scope of the SCA (fwd)

[clevin@ripco.com (Craig Levin)]

Poster: clevin@ripco.com (Craig Levin)

> Poster: TismanBRos@aol.com
> 
> ummm...  Eogan...  some of us really do believe in and see fairies, elves and
> dwarves...  Even today, if you have faith in these "mystical" peoples, they
> will make themselves known- especially thoses damned faeries...  always
> bugging my cats.  :(
> Thus, with paganism still a very great factor in the middle ages (more than
> most realize...), it is quite possible for someone to see a elf, dwarf or
> faery and not be alarmed (quite the opposite, it's considered a great honor).

I dunno. From what I've seen of how people reacted to the Good
Folk, it usually seems that people were usually:

Suspicious: "They take babies." "They mess with the livestocks'
minds." "The Devil takes his tithe from them."

Awestruck: See Gower and Thos. the Rhymer for details.

The idea that one could look upon something supernatural and not
remain calm doesn't seem to make sense. See also Lewis, The
Discarded Image.

>  Now, for someone to walk around CLAIMING to be a faery, dwarf or elf...
>  THAT I would be rolling on the ground laughing at the sight of!  I also
> consider it to parallel one walking around as the bishop or pope without that
> actual status, quite blasphemous (but a whole lot of fun!  ;)   ).

Actually, it was a common practice in the Xmas season for big
towns, universities, and members of the nobility to appoint a
"boy bishop," who would satirize the role of the bishop. It was,
in many cases, a form of permitted protest. See Hutton's Rise
and Fall of Merry England, an excellent book.

Pedro de Alcazar, AoA
Barony of Storvik, Atlantia
Pursuivant Extraordinary and Junior Minion
Or, six Castles Vert within a Bordure Gules semy of Roundels Or

-- 
http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~clevin/index.html 
clevin@ripco.com
Craig Levin
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