As Undercroft regular Joy reminded us, last Wednesdays gathering was the beginning of Imbolc -The Celtic festival marking the beginning of spring and so a perfect time to celebrate lust and loss at the undercroft. But as Dave Tonge observed, "You can't have one without the other - For it is the way of stories and perhaps real life that lust leads to loss". He backed up this assertion with a tale he calls 'The Best Forgotten', where a young peasant girl's lust for coin and a chance meeting with a ghostly Monk leads to the loss of all she hungered after.
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| Shock or Shame? You decide. |
But whilst Dave focused on lust for coin, the other tellers were more content to tell tales of physical lust that sent ripples of shock through some in the audience and shame amongst those who were disturbed at their own enjoyment in the sins of the flesh. Liam Carroll took this to extremes with the tale of 'Genesis' and the origins of Original Sin, although the most literal interpretation of the theme this month should go to Jim Kavanagh with his version of 'The Illuminators Wife' - Of a Norwich artist who being down on his luck and with a young beautiful wife to support, decides to journey to Bruges to find work. But being forced to leave his young wife at home he contrives to paint a lamb on her stomach, beneath her navel. His finest most delicate work, the fragile nature of which was designed to ensure that no other man would be able to take advantage of his wife whilst he is away. For two and half years he labours in foreign lands till he has enough coin to return to his home in Norwich and his beautiful wife. And no sooner has he arrived than he undresses his wife only to find that the delicately detailed lamb has been replaced with a roughly painted Ram complete with long horns, which as some of will know is the symbol of the Cuckold. But as Jim pointed out to all gathered at the Undercroft, 'What else should the Illuminator expect, for two and a half years had gone by. Plenty of time for a lamb to grow into a ram!' *
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| Dave Tonge telling to a packed house |
*If you enjoyed Jim's tale you can also read some of Dave the Yarnsmith's stories at: http://talesfromtheyarnsmith.blogspot.com/
Just remember stories are better heard than read!
Next months gathering is on the 7th March with guest teller Sophie Snell telling her 'Seven Deadly Sins'. Free crisps and cake for those who arrive before the 8.00 start!
Artwork by Jim Kavanagh
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