Cloved Fruit Rant...be warned...

["Jason & Shannon Smith" <srgiles@erols.com>]

Poster: "Jason & Shannon Smith" <srgiles@erols.com>

Greetings All!


>Yes this is a made up SCA custom.  Mistress Alizaunde de Bregeuf in the
>East Kingdom claims to have invented it many years ago for an event,
>intending it as a simple entertainment for that single event.  She was very
>surprised to return from a year out of the country and find it an
>established custom!  But then, the SCA started out as a single party thrown
>for Mistress Diana Listmaker....another example of an idea too good to
>happen just once.

Cloved fruit is something I look upon with disdain and consider to be tacky.
I consider the inception of the SCA to be a good idea, but I will not extend
the same to cloved fruit.

This 'game' (speaking of cloved fruit here) is one that if, a.)practiced
among adults who understand the rules behind the thing, b.)is done in a
discreet manner, could be ok, however non-medieval/non-courtly it is.

The problem with cloved fruit as I've seen it is has several levels.

Problem 1:  Some consider it a 'free ticket' to kiss whomever they choose.
I have seen instances (often) where a couple will be at an event *obviously*
together, and invariably some person (almost certainly of the male
persuasion) will come up and offer the lady of the above mentioned couple a
cloved fruit.

Irrespective of *what* she does with the fruit, why would anyone think it
would be ok to do this, knowing the usual outcome of this 'gift'?

I've heard the argument that, "...it's the option of the lady to do with the
fruit as she wishes.  So there is no real harm in it."  This is ludicrous.
What if the lady does not know it is ok to refuse the fruit?  What if it is
her first event and she thinks that if a person gives her a cloved fruit,
she is *supposed* to give him a kiss?  Is that honourable?

 What does that then say about the regard for the lady's lord?  Not much, no
matter how you try to obfuscate the situation.

I personally will not participate in this practice that is degrading to
women and ignores any type of moral ideals.

Problem 2:  The idea that cloved fruit is somehow a period practice to
faciliate the expression of courtly love.  Not even close.  But this is
*exactly* how cloved fruit was first presented to me; it all about courtly
love.

I thought this could be just a regional anomaly.  But in my travels I've
heard the same theory espoused from gentles all across the Knowne World.

This can't possibly be considered to be a good thing.

Any opinions/comments are welcmoned with an open mind.

In service,
Andrew



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