Seeing AM’s photo of willow pattern teacups at the ready reminded me of an unfinished task. We have willow pattern crockery in the gîte (my MIL did like to stock up in the sales so we inherited boxes of the stuff). So I want to put the willow pattern history and poem inside the cupboard door, as might amuse kids. But not that happy with my translation so grateful for suggestions to improve
Deux oiseaux qui volent haut
Navire chinois passant par là
Voici un pont sur lequel se trouvent des pèlerins.
Il y a un érudit qui lit un sonnet.
Un saule pleureur au-dessus de tout
À côté de la pagode qui se dresse
Dans les salles chinoises, les amoureux se cachent
Considering that the Queen’s Jubilee is on French television and all over French newspapers you can’t help thinking that France, as a nation, is very forgiving. Never mind the English illegal occupation which lasted on and off for over a hundred years and bankrupted France, watching Trooping the Colour you do wonder how many flag wavers are aware that the so called British iconic Bearskin is French.
The Imperial Guard, an elite unit, was responsible for Napoleon’s personal protection. Soldiers had to be at least 5 foot 8 inches. The infantry wore huge bearskin hats to look taller in battle.
On horseback, Napoleon wore the green uniform of the Regiment under his famous grey frock coat. At least he commanded a French army.
At the Battle of Waterloo half of Wellington’s forces were not British. He said: The French system of conscription brings together a fair sample of all classes, ours is composed of the scum of the Earth. The English soldiers are fellows who have enlisted for drink—that is the plain fact—they have all enlisted for drink.
British soldiers were allowed to take the bearskins from the heads of defeated soldiers as spoils of war. Members of the newly named British Grenadiers were permitted to wear them.
Twenty years ago, research for a book took me to Mr Green of Weston in Hertfordshire who made them by stretching a bearskin over a wicker frame. Perhaps he still does. At that time he was the only master of the craft in Britain. Perhaps he still is. Each laboriously made by hand, he averaged eight a week.
Each required the pelt of a black bear. Results of experiments with synthetic materials turn out the wrong colour, become distorted in the rain and wind and attract static electricity.
The British government does not go so far as to imply the bears roll over and die of natural causes but do say the pelts are by-products of a licensed cull by the Canadian authorities to manage the wild bear population.
Is that sarcasm in as much everyone know bagpipes are not scottish stop stating the bleeding obvious and everyone knows the bearskin is Fench?
maybe in many places but my Posts are read worldwide - doubt the world knows about Bearskins or bagpipes
my Post on why Fance owns the mona lisa gets mega hits
Personally I think very little to do with forgiveness but more that many French are monarchists and would dearly love to snaffle the queen for themselves. Or snaffle a queen/king - not sure the rest of UK royal family would make the grade.
Interesting that you allude to Lithuanian flag, not the French one, on your banner headline . France is bleu, blanc, rouge. Lithuanian flag is raudona, balta, mėlyna.
Just seen the photo of HM The Queen and family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the D’Ascoyne thread.
Sad to see the space beside the Queen - looks like it was purposefully left. But how comforting it must be for her to have all 3 generations of her sucessors - the next three Kings of England - on the balcony with her after a lifetime of service.
Love the photo, grabbed me as soon as I saw it. Says it all for me.
I see her now as she is, and as she was to me when I saw her drive through North London soon after her coronation. I was a youngster and managed to glimpse her as her car drove along Upper Street in Islington, where I lived.
I’m not a monarchist or an anti-monarchist. I was born into a monarchy and that was the way it was, and thank goodness, it could be said, when you look today around the rest of the world. How lucky we were to be born into this monarchy.
. France is bleu, blanc, rouge. Lithuanian flag is raudona, balta, mėlyna.
