H. Adler - Panorama

One day pleasantly follows another, there being always plenty of diversions, games organized down in the meadow, even competitions, the surrounding area explored, FHF above all on top of things, taking over evening patrols as well with Alfred’s permission, though only four boys are allowed to take part. There they listen to the lightly rustling sound of the trees and try to distinguish which are in a minor key and which a major, younger boys sometimes taken along in order to get them used to the lonely feel of the night, this being a night that they spend on their own at a spot in the woods when they are allowed to do what they want, though they have to remain quiet, they can make a small fire, and they can sleep, or they can look for one of the masters who led them to this spot as part of their test and will pick them up the next morning, they needing to dress warmly and bring along a blanket, a large slice of bread having been given them as provisions. Whoever passes this test is then considered a full-fledged Wanderer and not a novice, anyone being allowed to take the test, while anyone who is fourteen or older doesn’t have to do it. There are in fact no other tests, nor are there titles, the distinction of being named a master in itself nothing but a joke.

Alfred knows all of the gamekeepers and forest workers, and so he knows that tomorrow is Frau Brosch’s birthday, for which he quickly calls a meeting of the camp, at which it’s decided that in the evening when it’s dark they will hike to the ranger’s house and serenade her and her husband under torchlight. They quickly get the torches ready and practice a couple of songs, then all of them except the camp guards head off to the ranger’s house, where no one has any idea that they’re coming, such that everyone is hugely surprised and even more overjoyed, the sight of the scouts truly wonderful as they all light their torches and gather in the ranger’s yard, the couple coming out to say thank you and to praise them. The next night Herr and Frau Brosch pay a return visit to the camp in order to invite them all the following Saturday evening for a piece of cake, Alfred thanking them deeply and explaining that unfortunately the Wanderers won’t be able to come, for the Wanderers have a custom whereby they participate in all celebrations together, but all of them won’t be able to, since they have to leave two Wanderers behind as camp guards. Then the ranger says that he’d already thought of that, and they have to accept the invitation anyway, for he had arranged for two gamekeepers to serve as guards for that evening, and they were happy to do it, this leaving nothing for Alfred to do but thank him on behalf of the pack and accept.

On Saturday the scouts don their clean, good smocks and head off cheerfully to the ranger’s house, where they are led into the great room, which they know from the day of their arrival, the tables bowing under the weight of the mountains of blackberry cake, as well as dark blueberry wine, which some cast doubtful gazes at, though Herr Brosch assures them, “There’s no alcohol in it, so anyone can have some.” Indeed, it’s fresh berry juice, which everyone likes, but it makes their limbs feel heavy, it being as avidly shoved at them as the cake, such that a sugar rush comes to their heads, but then some wonderful coffee is brought out, which helps wake up the Wanderers once again, as they sing and laugh, telling a couple of legends from their history, until it grows late and Alfred suggests that it’s time to head home, all of them saying goodbye after one last song. Outside the night is dark and gloomy, and so they take the long way back and not the shortcut, for that would be too creepy, though Willi begins to tell ghost stories that he has made up on his own, such as the one about the old crone who lives in Landstein Castle and still wanders the countryside, suddenly appearing in the old city, then causing trouble in the catacombs of the cloister as she throws bones out of the coffins, though she prefers to stay in these woods on nights when there’s no moon, wrapped in a long sheet, and when she walks nearby the woods rustle with a light wind, her eyes lit up with a sick green color like two swamp spirits, and whomever she meets she shocks with an electric charge, shrieking “Memento mori!” At the same time, Willi gives one of the novices a light hit in the chest, then he goes on with his story, until once again he lets out a ghastly “Memento mori!” and scares another with a shove, some of the novices getting really frightened, while most of them think of it as fun.

When Willi tells a story that everyone likes, Alfred reminds FHF that he shouldn’t forget to mention these mortal tales in his history, and so FHF makes sure to take note of it all as he writes it down and embellishes it with archaic language, now and then reading from the history back at the meetinghouse. All important incidents are called the Acts of the Knights, but only at the camp can a Wanderer first rise to the level of knighthood. Alfred had founded the Order of the Knights three years ago, naming himself the Great Commander, all the boys in the camp at the time being made knights, though FHF was the only one to turn down this honor, for he wanted always to remain the court jester. FHF explained that because of this he could never be a part of the order, but he is prepared to remain loyal to the illustrious Great Commander and the august Order of the Knights and to serve them as court jester, which everyone agreed to, FHF always fulfilling his position as ably as possible. It was also then decided that membership in the pack did not automatically guarantee membership in the order, yet every novice could be recognized as a candidate for entry if he so wished, FHF the only one in the pack who had never wanted to join. Whoever applies is soon taken and accepted among the knights, each servant recommended by his knight to become a knave as early as the third hiking trip, as long as the Great Commander approves and no knight raises objections, though as a knave one still stands below his knight and must support him in all matters of question among the order, but at the same time one can in a joking manner pretend that he’s not interested in being accepted, though you have to make sure that it’s taken the right way.

The culmination of the process of being named a knight takes place at the bal paré , which one can dress up for, yet hardly anyone does, for most like to save their best efforts for the Festival of the Knights of the Great Commander. At the bal paré they show up at the large table in the woods, lamps having been placed upon it, and at each seat a plate full of sweet berries, the Great Commander presiding from above, the oldest two knights on each side of him, the younger knights and the knaves filling out the table to the other end, for none of them are servants, since at the camp everyone is considered at least a knave, the court jester sitting at the far end. The Great Commander opens the bal paré with words by saying loudly that the knights will soon get the festivities under way and that they should add to their old heroic ventures, in order that the Landstein Castle Camp do honor to its predecessors and set an illustrious example for the heroes to come in later generations, while in his capacity as Great Commander he also tenderly acknowledges the young but brave knaves, who most certainly should meet with no opposition in being accepted today into the circle of knights, though first the Great Commander has to make sure that the knaves have memorized the sacred rules and mores of the aforementioned circle of knights and taken them to heart, to which purpose he then passes the tankard round the circle. The tankard is a milk can that holds almost twelve liters and for the bal paré is not filled with the usual punch but with hot chocolate instead. The Great Commander lifts it to his lips in order to take a strong drink, all the other knights doing likewise and acknowledging him, though no knight who cares about his honor allows a single drop to fall, while hardly anyone succeeds at this, since throughout the ceremony there’s a lot of joking around and laughter, causing almost everyone to spill a bit or to choke, especially the knaves, since even if it were quiet they would barely be able to handle drinking from the monstrous tankard. The court jester, who is the last to drink, outstrips all the other knights in terms of poise, because no matter how long he drinks from the tankard he doesn’t spill a drop, for even if the others try to make him laugh the court jester still maintains his focus. Once everyone has drunk from it, the tankard is set back down on the table, which is brown by now with a fresh coat of chocolate, a cover set on the tankard so that the hot chocolate doesn’t cool, since until the end of the bal paré they will drink from it until the tankard is emptied of its last drop.