Palio

With privilege comes great responsibility. Sounds like a fortune cookie.

It was time for the Newbie — I mean the Golden Tongue Competition; it was a chance for individuals who had never won a bardic award to strut their stuff. We gathered in the barn at Bard-o’clock, aka O’Dark thirty for you non-bards out there, and the room was filled with about twenty people. The only rule was to have fun. The piece didn’t have to be period, though it was encouraged that it at least be SCA appropriate. I roll my eyes, as this didn’t happen with many pieces because some people were so new, the golden key was still visible on their backs. I didn’t mind though, I was just happy to see new people participating and enjoying themselves.

I was blessed to have a previous year’s Baronial Bard sitting by my side, holding my hand through this ordeal, and even providing the prize. When the ten or so competitors finished, Ruadh and I went outside to deliberate. We wished we could pick more than one, but that’s not how this works. We had a book for them to start writing about their Bardic Journey, and to start filling with new tales, which we presented to them that night.

After the competition, the Bardic Circle was open to all, and we sang until we couldn’t sing anymore.