Re: NATLANG: Middle English Stories

--- Arthaey Angosii <arthaey@...> wrote:

> What are some common themes in Middle English
> period stories?
Sex, religion and violence? Were ME speakers nòt
human? ;)

> We're supposed to try to make the subject
> matter, as well as the language, as authentic >
to period as we can.

If it doesn't have to be long, take "The Old
Priest and the Young Priest" and versify it using
ME metrics. Set it in a framework of a
hypothetical set of short gestes (to use the ME).
That way, you'd get points for translating, for
versifying and for using a native literary form
(compare with Canterbury Tales, which a bunch of
stories set into a framework of a journey to
Canterbury).

Feel free to add details, this is a basic
outline:

"...and now my gentle friends, harken to the tale
of the Old Priest and the Young Priest! One time,
the old priest invited the young priest over for
dinner. As they were eating, the young priest
noted how pretty the old priest's maid was, and
how young. After the evening's entertainment,
they retired to their rooms for the night; and
early the next morning the young priest left for
his own parish. Several days passed when a
message came from the old priest: 'Now, my son, I
am not saying that you took the silver serving
spoon from my house, and I'm not saying that you
didn't take the silver serving spoon from my
house. The fact remains that the silver serving
spoon is missing from my house.' Several days
later, the old priest received a message from the
young priest: 'Now, my son, I am not saying that
you keep your maid company at night, and I am not
saying that you don't keep your maid company at
night. The fact remains that if you looked in
your bed, you'd find your silver serving spoon.'
" Feel free to moralise ad lib., and invoke God's
blessing and that of the holy church on all good
people!

Well, two out of three ain't bad! Keep us
appraised!

Padraic.


=====
- Nos côsez yen fin xristianós et trancouil

- Côsez-el a Ddon!

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