Britons and Celts
The Man Who Farted
On his return the queen welcomed him home and said, “My lord, I had forgot the fart”. […]
Regions
Human Affairs
Out-of-Touch Medieval Elites
“Now one time while they were drinking, the king talked with the women and said: “How do you note the break of day, when the night grows light, if you can not see the heavenly bodies?” The maidservant answered: “This is how I note it: as a child I was in the habit of drinking quite a bit before dawn. And when I stopped doing that, I would still wake up at the same time, and that is my signal.” The king smiled at this reply and said: “That is a poor habit for a king’s daughter.”” […]
Humor
Wrestling With Power
” Kjartan plunged into the river and made for this man who was the best swimmer, and forced him under water at once and held him there for a while before letting go of him. No sooner had they come to the surface than this man seized hold of Kjartan and pulled him down, and they stayed under for what seemed to Kjartan a very reasonable time. They surfaced for a second time, and still they exchanged no words.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Emperor’s No-Good Step-Brother
“He also used to thrown the largest coins into cookshops and smash the cups with them.” […]
Britons and Celts
Eat, Drink, and Die Tomorrow
“I have heard tell that the night before the day of battle, the English were very merry, laughing much and enjoying themselves. All night they ate and drank, and never lay down on their beds.” […]
Britons and Celts
Please Do Not Read This Post
“My mouth and my nose purged exceedingly, such yellow, white and tawny fluids as I never saw before, nor thought that any such had been in man’s body. ” […]
Greek and Roman
Assassination of An Emperor
“He was able to resist from some time by parrying the sword thrusts with the sacred cross, but then he was set upon from all sides, like a wild beast.” […]
Viking
Bloody-Handed Hamlet
“Then, cutting his body into morsels, he seethed it in boiling water, and flung it through the mouth of an open sewer for the swine to eat, bestrewing the stinking mire with his hapless limbs.” […]
Britons and Celts
Young Merlin Speaks
“There emerged two Dragons, one white, one red. As soon as they were near enough to each other, they fought bitterly, breathing out fire as they panted.” […]
Medieval Mentality
What Can Change the Nature of a Man?
“Gentlemen, here is something that puzzles me, because I cannot account for it. How is it that in the kingdoms of Persia, which are such near neighbours of ours, there are folk so unruly and contentious that they are forever killing one another, whereas among us, who are all but one with them, there is hardly an instance of provocation or brawling?” […]