release dates: July 4-10 27-1 (09) Go dot to dot and color.

© 2009 Universal Press Syndicate

from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate Step Into the Middle Ages Come Ye to the Faire! Have you ever dreamed of living in the Knights engage in team time of knights, lords and ladies? This combat in a battle at an SCA Renaissance festival. time is known as the Middle Ages. For most of the Middle Ages, Renaissance (reh-nuh-SAHNTS) fairs knights promised to serve in and tournaments give modern people a the king’s army for a certain taste of life in the Middle Ages and number of days each year. In Renaissance. the late Middle Ages, knights paid a tax to get out of military To learn more about Renaissance fairs, service. The Mini Page talked to an expert from This was better for the king the Society for Creative Anachronism* because knights were around (uh-NA-kruh-ni-zum), or SCA. only during wars. With the *An anachronism is something out of its proper money paid by unwilling time or place. For example, if you were watching a knights, the king could keep movie about American pioneers and somebody an army of trained fighters all pulled out a cell phone, the phone would be an photos by Ron Lutz, courtesy Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. the time. anachronism. SCA brings something from the past The Middle Ages The Renaissance into the present. It calls itself “creative” Experts disagree about the exact dates The Renaissance arrived at the end because certain modern conveniences, of the Middle Ages. This era, or time of the Middle Ages. It began in about the from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate such as modern plumbing, can be at their period, lasted about 1,000 years. 1300s in Italy, and in about the 1500s in TM events. It is the time in European history France and England. Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Renaissance fairs (sometimes spelled stretching from about the fall of the After the fall of the Roman Empire, trade “faires”) are re-enactments of town Roman Empire, around A.D. 400, to the between countries shrank. People weren’t Broccoli Bake festivals that would have occurred during end of the reign of England’s Queen well educated, and they grew poorer. You’ll need: the Middle Ages, usually to celebrate a Elizabeth I, in 1601. During the Renaissance, things got • 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli • 1 cup baking mix holy day or the harvest. During the Middle better again. “Renaissance” means “rebirth.” • 1 cup reduced-fat milk A queen Ages, people lived under People began trading more, which • 2 eggs walks a a feudal (FYOO-duhl) allowed them to learn from other • 1/2 teaspoon salt greyhound system of government. cultures. Scientific study and art grew • dash of pepper during a • 1 cup shredded low-fat cheese tournament. This meant kings, and important again. What to do: sometimes queens, had the most power. More people began 1. Cook broccoli according to directions. Lords and ladies, or nobles, were living in cities. 2. Blend together baking mix, milk, eggs, salt and pepper. 3. Stir in cooked broccoli and cheese. under the royal rulers. They owned large Business people, 4. Coat a medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray. Pour mixture into dish. areas of land. The people who worked the artists and educated 5. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until set. land were under the rule of the lord of people gained more 6. Cut into squares and serve. Serves 6 to 8. the land, or the landlord. power and respect. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate

from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate Meet Ed Asner Ed Asner is the voice of Carl in the Knights in Combat Disney/Pixar movie “Up.” He has been in many TV shows and movies. He is best known for his role as Lou Grant in the TV Knights series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” He is During parts of the early Middle also known for his role as Capt. Thomas Ages, knights were regular soldiers. Davies in the TV miniseries “Roots.” They stopped being knights as soon as Ed has won seven Emmy awards and five they left the wars. Golden Globe awards for his acting on TV. Later, knights kept their rank even Two polearmsmen photo © Disney/Pixar He has appeared in several Hallmark after the wars were over. They began to battle at a movies, including “The Christmas Card.” He also acted as Santa tournament. Claus in the movie “Elf.” gain their own castles and land. Often Ed, 79, was born in Kansas City, Kan., as Yitzhak Edward they earned this land by their deeds on Asner. He has worked for many charitable causes, including the the battlefield. environment, human rights, good treatment of workers, and Slowly, they began pulling themselves freedom and peace throughout the world. from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate out of the peasantry, or lower class.

TM from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate They became part of the aristocracy (ah-ruh-STAH-kruh-see), or ruling class. photos by Ron Lutz, courtesy Society for Creative Anachronism Although most knights were men, Tournaments Jousting women could be knights too. In the 1300s, There are two types of Renaissance A joust (jowst) is a competition Supersport: Hannah Nielsen the Order of the Garter in England fairs. In one kind, actors perform for the between two knights with long lances, Height: 5-5 Hometown: Adelaide, Australia Hannah Nielsen didn’t major in drama at Northwestern accepted women and men as knights. In public. The knights already know who or spears. At the beginning of the University. She doesn’t plan to become the next Hannah Spain, the Order of the Hatchet was will win the tournaments. Middle Ages, jousting was basically war Montana. But she did put on quite a show on the lacrosse field. founded just for women going into battle. They may charge each other on with rules. One of the college women’s premier players, Nielsen completed her sparkling career by helping the Wildcats win a A female horseback. Because the combat is being There were fifth straight national title and post a perfect 23-0 record this knight staged, the actors can make sure that many spring. engages in no horses or people will be hurt. deaths. The 5-5 midfielder set NCAA Division I records for assists in a game (10), a hand-to- In SCA festivals, people act as if they By the season (83) and a career (224), and won her second straight Tewaaraton hand Trophy as the nation’s top player. In the 21-7 championship game victory over combat with were in the Middle Ages. Knights late Middle North Carolina, she dished out six assists. another engage in real matches. No one knows Ages, it had become more of a sport. If Neilsen also is Northwestern’s all-time scoring leader, with 398 points. knight at a who will win ahead of time. Knights someone got killed during a match, the Academically, she succeeded as well, earning a joint degree in human Renaissance development and psychological services. Maybe an honorary degree in drama engage only in hand-to-hand combat so king’s officials investigated it as if it tournament. would also be fitting, considering her performances in lacrosse. no horses could accidentally be hurt. were a murder.

from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate Fun at the Festival TM All the following jokes have something in common. Jousting events A taste of the Middle Ages Can you guess the common theme or category? During jousting tournaments at Renaissance event chefs often take Geoff: What did Sir Lancelot wear to bed? Renaissance fairs, the moves are pride in cooking up authentic (ah- Greg: A knightgown! planned in advance so no person or THEN-tik), or true-to-life, dishes from horse gets hurt. Fair-goers might get to the Middle Ages. Giselle: What happens when you put a light see knights jousting on horseback. There is often a bulb in a suit of armor? In SCA tournaments, knights joust on big feast. Gigi: You have a knightlight! foot. Because their tournaments are not People in the planned out, they don’t take a chance of Middle Ages ate hurting each other or the horses. with their fingers. Ginger: Why do we sometimes call the Middle Jousting on foot was common during At SCA events, it Ages the Dark Ages? the Middle Ages, especially if a match can be fun to dig Gustav: Because there were so many knights!

was in the middle of the into the food with from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate town. It was hard to find your hands. TM Basset Brown TRY ’N enough space in cities As in the Middle The News Renaissance Fair for two knights to run at Ages, diners at Hound’s FIND There was often each other on horses. SCA feasts scoop Words that remind us of Renaissance fairs are hidden in the block below. music or juggling to Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used Staying safe up food from the entertain guests at twice. See if you can find: MIDDLE, AGES, RENAISSANCE, KNIGHTS, same dishes. feasts. LADY, LORD, WAR, JOUST, HORSE, ARMOR, KING, QUEEN, FEAST, Modern SCA knights People might even share the same JUGGLER, EAT, FESTIVAL, SAFE, TOURNAMENT, EUROPE, MERCHANTS,

use wooden weapons photos by Ron Lutz, courtesy Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. ART, LITERACY. These modern women are dressed as plate. Many hands might be digging KFEST I VALF FEAST just as knights did when training for into the same food. It was not OK to battle. Modern knights must wear German shoppers at a town festival. As in COME ALL YE EIKNIGHTSKESROH the past, merchants bring out their wares, come to the table with dirty hands! LORDS AND ULN JOUSTLROMRAM protective clothing or armor. or goods, to sell. Bakers and cooks SCA chefs like to end the feast as LADIES! Modern knights can make their prepare fancy local dishes and pastries RAOGYDALMNEEUQ I to sell. chefs did in the Middle Ages, with a OWG R T A E R E L GG U J D armor out of anything, including sports dish that was more for fun than for equipment, which is often safer than PQA EDS TNAHCREMD Fun for kids food. This was called a subtlety EKKRSNYCARET I LL what the real knights had. For example, (SUH-tuhl-TEE). knights of the Middle Ages wrapped felt Kids are encouraged to take part in KTNEMANRUOTTRAE SCA events. They can learn to fight Subtleties might be huge sculptures EFASECNASS I ANER around their elbows for protection made out of food. For example, cooks during combat. Modern high-tech elbow with padded swords. might build a copy of the lord’s castle or from The Mini Page © 2009 Universal Press Syndicate pads are much safer. They might make necklaces with TM colored beads that resemble decorations a dragon. It wouldn’t matter if it tasted worn by Viking warriors. They can paint good, as long as it looked good. Mini Spy . . . heraldry, or coats of arms. These are The nursery rhyme line, “Four and 20 Mini Spy and Basset Brown enjoy dressing up for the the personal signs on knights’ armor. blackbirds baked Renaissance fair. See if you can find: into a pie,” • letter C The Mini Page thanks Scott Farrell, Society describes a for Creative Anachronism, for help with this famous subtlety. • dog issue. The cook put live • snake Site to see: www.sca.org birds into a pan • tooth Look through your newspaper for stories and put a pie • sock about festivals and fairs in your area. crust over those birds. The birds weren’t • pig’s face Archers take their positions on the lines at a Renaissance tournament. The SCA has Next week, The Mini Page is all about actually baked. When the pie was brought • bell classes in archery for kids as well. synchronized swimming. to the table, the birds all flew out. • word MINI The Mini Page Staff • number 7 Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist • letter A

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