Random Historical Moments

They are having us on, aren't they?

Speaking to the Al Jazirah newspaper, Al Jaziya, a mother of three in her late 20s, said she had no idea how or when the tradition started.

“I received only primary education and since the day I got married, my husband, who happens to be my cousin, has never seen my face, neither before nor after marriage. I make sure to wear my veil day and night, so that there isn’t any possibility of him seeing my face or how I look like.”

She is even not keen to find out the logic behind what she does.

“This tradition has been part of my life since the day I opened my eyes,” Al Jaziya said. “Believe it or not, I have never seen the faces of even my closest female relatives _ my cousins and aunts.”

She said every member of her tribe believed that it was a shame for women to uncover their faces.

Alice la Beale Pilgrim has a rather better time of it:

And when La Beale Alice saw him joust so well, she thought him a passing goodly knight on horseback. And then she leapt out of her pavilion, and took Sir Alisander by the bridle, and thus she said: Fair knight, I require thee of thy knighthood show me thy visage. I dare well, said Alisander, show my visage. And then he put off his helm; and she saw his visage, she said: O sweet Jesu, thee I must love, and never other. Then show me your visage, said he.

Then she unwimpled her visage. And when he saw her he said: Here have I found my love and my lady. Truly, fair lady, said he, I promise you to be your knight, and none other that beareth the life. Now, gentle knight, said she, tell me your name. My name is, said he, Alisander le Orphelin. Now, damosel, tell me your name, said he. My name is, said she, Alice la Beale Pilgrim.

Mind you, Alisander would be a prime candidate for laws about not going around without protection from a responsible member of the opposite sex - he's not safe out:

Then the damosel that helped Sir Alisander out of the castle, in her play told Alice all together how he was prisoner in the castle of La Beale Regard, and there she told her how she got him out of prison. Sir, said Alice la Beale Pilgrim, meseemeth ye are much beholding to this maiden. That is truth, said Sir Alisander

Right so came the false knight Sir Mordred, and saw Sir Alisander was assotted upon his lady; and therewithal he took his horse by the bridle, and led him here and there, and had cast to have led him out of that place to have shamed him. When the damosel that helped him out of that castle saw how shamefully he was led, anon she let arm her, and set a shield upon her shoulder; and therewith she mounted upon his horse, and gat a naked sword in her hand, and she thrust unto Alisander with all her might, and she gave him such a buffet that he thought the fire flew out of his eyen. And when Alisander felt that stroke he looked about him, and drew his sword And when she saw that, she fled, and so did Mordred into the forest, and the damosel fled into the pavilion. So when Alisander understood himself how the false knight would have shamed him had not the damosel been then was he wroth with himself that Sir Mordred was so escaped his hands. But then Sir Alisander and Alice had good game at the damosel, how sadly she hit him upon the helm.

posted by Brituncula @ 10:30 PM