A Mummers' Play

I don’t know about you, but for me, the definitive dramatisation of the Robin Hood story is Robin of Sherwood, created by Richard Carpenter in the 1980s. In one of the episodes from the second series, entitled Lord of the Trees, Robin and his merry men act out part of a mummer’s play, in order to capture a band of dangerous mercenaries. (They can’t simply kill them because it’s the Time of the Blessing, an annual forest tradition during which no blood can be shed, or the pagan fertility ritual will fail.)

Some years ago now, I wrote a play about the origins of Christmas (funnily enough) for the school I was working in at the time. For one scene I wanted a simple mummers’ play. I returned to Robin of Sherwood for inspiration and have to admit that I used Richard Carpenter’s creation from the Lord of the Trees episode. However, in the TV story, the play isn’t actually completed, so I had to write the end of it in the same style as the rest.

Presented here are my efforts, combined with those of Richard Carpenter, of course. If you’ve thought about putting on your own mummers’ play this year, why not use this one? Just let me know how you get on!

A Mummers’ Play

By Richard Carpenter and Jonathan Green

Cast of Characters

SAINT GEORGE
The SARACEN KNIGHT
Saint George’s MOTHER
A mysterious DOCTOR

Enter the Mummers.

SAINT GEORGE
In comes I, Saint George is my name.
With my great sword, I mean to win this game.
If I could meet the Saracen Knight here,
I’d fight him and bit him, and stick my sword in his ear.

SARACEN KNIGHT

Then in comes I, the Saracen Knight.
I come from the farthest lands to fight.
I’ve come to fight Saint George the Bold,
And if his blood runs hot, I’ll make it cold.

SAINT GEORGE

Battle to battle, to you I call,
To see who on this ground shall fall.

SARACEN KNIGHT

Battle to battle, to thee I pray,
To see who on this ground shall lay.

They fight. Saint George is slain.

MOTHER

O Doctor, Doctor! Where can a doctor be,
To cure my son who lies like a fallen tree?

DOCTOR

In comes I, a doctor good,
And with his hand shall stop the scarlet blood.

MOTHER

How will you cure him? With potions and pills?

DOCTOR

With this bag I can cure all ills –
The itch, stitch, palsy and gout –
Pains within and pains without.

The Doctor shakes his bag over Saint George’s body.

DOCTOR

Rise up!

Saint George gets up.

SAINT GEORGE

Once I was dead and now I am alive!
Blessed be the Doctor, who did me revive!

SARACEN KNIGHT

What’s this? I thought I struck you dead!
I chopped and I lopped, and I hit you on the head.

SAINT GEORGE
Once I was dead but now I’m all right,
And now I’ll slay you, the Saracen Knight!

SARACEN KNIGHT
I have shed your blood before,
And now I’ll have to spill some more.
Battle to battle, to you I call,
To see who on this ground shall fall.

SAINT GEORGE
Battle to battle, to thee I pray,
To see who on this ground shall lay.

They fight again. The Saracen Knight is slain.

SAINT GEORGE
Behold! The Saracen Knight lies dead,
The ground now with his blood turned red.
Remember me, Saint George is my name!
With my great sword, I have won this game.
He will not fight another day.
And so now ends our Mummers’ play.

Lapland comes to England!

Have you ever thought that you would love to visit Lapland, the spiritual home of Father Christmas, at Christmas time, but couldn't afford the time or the expense? Well now you can experience the wonder and magic of Christmas in Lapland - in the UK!

Lapland UK is a new and exciting Lapland inspired Christmas experience for the whole family to enjoy. Your Lapland UK adventure begins when a special invitation bearing the wax seal of Father Christmas drops through your letterbox. Every child receives their own personalised letter from Father Christmas asking them to come and help the Elves in his toy factory this Christmas.

You will be astonished to find yourself in a snowy, arctic landscape. The sights and sounds of mystical Lapland will surround you, from Elves busily working in the toy factory to Father Christmas's reindeer. The climax to your day will, of course be your personal audience with Father Christmas, who you will meet in his snowy woodland home.

If you would like to know more about Lapland UK click this link.

Country Living Christmas Fair 2008

If you live in London but fancy a taste of country living this Christmas, then why not pop along to the Country Living Christmas Fair 2008, being held from 12–16 November at the Business Design Centre in Islington?

It's the perfect place to do all of your Christmas shopping under one roof. You’ll find everything you need for the perfect Christmas, from hand-crafted decorations to traditional toys, the latest fashion, limited-edition jewellery and a mouthwatering array of festive food and drink.

So, what is myrrh?

Well, if you don't know already, then you really need to buy the book. But just to tantalize further, here are seven fascinating facts about the stuff.

1. Myrrh keeps wounds free from infection and speeds the healing process.


2. Myrrh is not actually a plant but rather a plant product, and one of the oldest such products still in active use today.


3. One ancient myth relates how Myrrha, the daughter of the king of Cyprus, developed an unnatural fixation on her father, and was banished to the barren deserts of Arabia. There the gods transformed her into a myrrh tree exuding tears sweet with repentance.


4. Myrrh was called mor by the ancient Hebrews.


5. Myrrh appears eleven times in the Bible, and not just in the Nativity story.


6. Myrrh is recommended for various medical conditions, including leprosy, syphilitic ulcers, sores, sore throats, wounds, bad breath, weak gums, bleeding gums, and even loose teeth.


7. The Chinese feel that myrrh actually helps the body collect and get rid of the congealed blood of bruises. According to Chinese medicine, the herb’s ability to get the blood moving is its main boon to health.

Good King Wenceslas

A whimsical and wistful rendition of an old classic by the incomparable Loreena McKinnett.



You can purchase Five Songs for the Season here.

Day of the Dead

There are only 54 shopping days left 'til Christmas and that means that in Mexico it's time to celebrate the Day of the Dead.

The celebration occurs on the 1st and 2nd of November, in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day which take place on those days. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.

Scholars have traced the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl ("The Lady of the Dead").

Did you know...?

Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Christmas around the world, making the festival one of the biggest religious and commercial festivities in the world!