NORMAN AND SAXON (A.D. 1100)

Rudyard Kipling | Rudyard Kipling

[Clive]

MY SON," said the Norman Baron, "I am dying, and you will be heir
To all the broad acres in England that William gave me for my share
When we conquered the Saxon at Hastings, and a nice little handful it is.
But before you go over to rule it I want you to understand this:?

"The Saxon is not like us Normans, His manners are not so polite.
But he never means anything serious till he talks about justice and right.
When he stands like an ox in the furrow with his sullen set eyes on your own,
And grumbles, "This isn't fair dealings," my son, leave the Saxon alone.

"You can horsewhip your Gascony archers, or torture your Picardy spears,
But don't try that game on the Saxon; you'll have the whole brood round your ears.
From the richest old Thane in the county to the poorest chained serf in the field,
They'll be at you and on you like hornets, and, if you are wise, you will yield.

"But first you must master their language, their dialect, proverbs and songs.
Don't trust any clerk to interpret when they come with the tale of their wrongs.
Let them know that you know what they're saying; let them feel that you know what to say.
Yes, even when you want to go hunting, hear 'em out if it takes you all day.

"They'll drink every hour of the daylight and poach every hour of the dark,
It's the sport not the rabbits they 're after (we 've plenty of game in the park).
Don't hang them or cut off their fingers. That's wasteful as well as unkind,
For a hard-bitten, South-country poacher makes the best man-at-arms you can find.

"Appear with your wife and the children at their weddings and funerals and feasts.
Be polite but not friendly to Bishops; be good to all poor parish priests.
Say `we,' `us' and `ours' when you're talking instead of `you fellows' and `I.'
Don't ride over seeds; keep your temper; and never you tell 'em a lie!"

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Nice! I'm rereading Ivanhoe right now, which has lots of good Norman-v-Saxon stuff.

(And more coincidences, it followed Kim on my bedside stand)

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[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I have a soft spot for Tommy.

[joanie-f]

When autumn nights were long and drear,
And forest walks were dark and dim,
How sweetly on the pilgrim’s ear
Was wont to steal the hermit’s hymn.

Devotion borrows Music’s tone,
And Music took Devotion’s wing;
And, like the bird that hails the sun,
They soar to heaven, and soaring sing.

(The Hermit of St. Clement's Well .... Ivanhoe)

[aodell]

Hi lady.

Long time no see. :-)

You have mail.

[Just mythoughts]

Thanks for this post enjoyed reading it and far more is said than most have a clue!

[Porterville]

You can replace Saxon with liberal... and it still fits today.

[Just mythoughts]

Not a chance, no way can a liberal be called "best man-at-arms you can find".

Read it again, if this is put forth to describe "Liberals" then the line about

"But he never means anything serious till he talks about justice and "RIGHT"

in no way, shape, or form describe anything "liberal" they never speak to what is "RIGHT"!

[Porterville]

I see exactly what you are saying and I agree... I am saying that from the Hypocrisy viewpoint of a liberal... they never are serious until they talk about what they believe to be justice and right... You have to watch your tongue around liberals or you will be speared on a PC-Picket.

[Just mythoughts]

I understand how you came to your conclusion, however because of so much more in this that most have a clue I could not help but respond.

Want more understanding do a little search on that word, that name SAXON and exactly where it comes from. Not talking about a surface limited internet search but dig real deep and you might be surprised.

[Just mythoughts]

sorry "NO" clue

[First_Salute]

m'lady

[Porterville]

You have no clue what I am saying???... Try, really try to pull it together and think... think, I know public education really messes up some minds, but I am sure you can get that little hamster track running.

[eyespysomething]

bump

[Just mythoughts]

Look you have no clue what I am saying, I have it pulled together and know the freaking liberal mind really well.

This is not speaking to anything liberal and somehow that is what you got from it.

So since you gleaned some far out idea from these words and you don't know what it is really talking about is your problem, thought maybe you might have an open mind but obviously not so your loss.

[fortaydoos]

Indeed. The saxons have ever lusted after the property and achievements of their betters: the Normans. Were it not for Normans, England would have never had her empire.

The only problem was it was so easy to best the saxons, simpering cowards that they were/are.

[Porterville]

Look, your zeal for Saxony is apparent and on the surface, I know exactly what you are saying, look at it abstractly from the surface as a cultural war of today...Zeal, Pride, and all that nonsense is clearly your fault line.

[Just mythoughts]

Your words tell far more about your mind than anything about me and since you try and attribute a liberal thing to what is not said here best you can do is insult.

So "SAXONY" your word said a whole lot about you and what you know and twist what is said in these words.